Ziva's Dream
by Cherokee Jedi
Summary: Started out as a very short one shot about finding a home. It has continued to grow. Chapter 28 has now been added. And, I've marked it as In-Progress. Apparently, the muse isn't finished with it. Rating just went up to T. :
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is just a very quick one-shot I wrote this morning as I sit here missing my Dad and wishing I could see him today. No matter how old you are being an orphan is tough.**

**As usual, I don't own Gibbs or his team and I'm not making any money from this. I just had to spend some time with them today.**

Gibbs looked up from his position on the floor and took the beer Abby offered him. From where he sat, surrounded by the pieces of the bookcase he was assembling, he could see the other members of his team.

Tony and McGee were repositioning the sofa for what had to be the tenth time. Ducky was unpacking boxes of books and loading them onto the bookcase Gibbs had already assembled. Abby had returned to the kitchen and her task of unpacking and putting away dishes. Palmer was arranging lamps and other items on the end tables.

And in the midst of it all Ziva was directing the activities. Gibbs saw she was looking slightly overwhelmed and nervous. The lead agent put down his beer and crossed to where his she stood. Slinging an arm around her shoulders, Gibbs gave her a friendly hug.

"You okay, Ziver?" he asked.

She tried to smile but her huge, chocolate brown eyes relayed her concern. "I am fine, Gibbs. I just did not expect all of this," she waved a hand at the chaos around her.

Gibbs hugged her again. "This is what friends do. It's what family is for. You didn't think we would let you do all of this by yourself, did you?"

"No, but I did not expect everyone to give up their free weekend for me," she replied quietly.

Gibbs leaned closer and whispered so only she could hear, "We're all proud of you, Ziva. You've made some tough choices. This was the toughest one of all."

And that statement was the truth. Ziva David, the newest NCIS Special Agent, the newest American, was now the newest homeowner. The team had spent all weekend moving her into her new home. They had scrubbed and cleaned and painted on Saturday. They had spent all day Sunday packing and moving her from her apartment.

The entire team had been surprised when Ziva had announced that she was buying a house. At their questions the young woman had answered she was now free to live wherever she wanted. And, she confessed that she had always wanted to have a real house in a quiet neighborhood.

What none of them had expected and what had surprised Gibbs the most was the fact that the house she had purchased was next door to his own home.

Gibbs' elderly neighbor had recently been placed in a nursing home. Her children had decided to sell the property. And, Ziva had snatched it up the moment it was placed on the market.

Tony flopped down on the sofa and looked across the room at his team mates, "I still don't understand why you didn't buy a newer house. This one's got to be close to a hundred years old."

"Because, Tony, this house has character. It has a personality you do not find in new houses. It already feels like home." She smiled at her partner and returned her boss's one armed hug. "And, I already like one of the neighbors."

Gibbs kissed her lightly on the side of the head and returned to his project. The activity continued around him as everyone worked to help Ziva make her dream come true.

He knew the young woman had told Tony the truth. But, that was only part of it. Gibbs knew she had also purchased this house because she would feel safe here near him. After the events in Israel and Somalia, he and Ziva had grown closer.

She had spent many nights in his basement. Some nights they had talked of the past. Most nights they discussed the future. Often she just sat and watched him work. She seemed to draw comfort and find peace by just being with him.

Gibbs smiled as he took a swig from his beer and prepared to tighten another screw. It had been a long, tiring weekend; but, he didn't mind. He couldn't think of a better way to spend Father's Day.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N This started out as a simple one-shot. Then a couple of reviewers asked if I planned to add to it. I really hadn't; but, at work today, I began to wonder what life would be like for the new neighbors. This idea popped into by head and wouldn't go away until I wrote it down. It's short and not incredibly good; but, I like it.**

**Disclaimer: Of course I don't own them and I'm not making any money off of this. If I did and I was, I wouldn't have been at work today.**

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat on the top step of his front porch and sipped from his coffee cup. The Sunday paper lay scattered on the step next to him. Ms. Gillam's cat, Tigger, had wandered over from next door and was asleep on his lap.

To any passersby, he would appear to be a middle aged man enjoying the peace and quiet of an early Sunday morning. But, appearances can be deceiving. At the moment, he was a Federal agent on a covert mission. The coffee, the newspaper, and even the cat were camouflage. He had chosen this strategic location to do recon on his other neighbor.

His wait was a short one. At promptly 0600 he heard the front door open and then close. Seconds later he saw his target jog down her front walk and turn onto the sidewalk. She jogged in front of his house and paused when she saw him sitting there.

Running in place she smile and called to him, "Good morning, Gibbs. Care to join me?"

He returned her greeting and answered her question, "Not a chance. Haven't been jogging for fun since I left the Corps."

"I will see you later then, yes?" she asked.

"Got to meet DiNozzo for batting practice this morning. I'll be back this afternoon. How about I grill steaks for dinner?" he replied.

"That sounds good. Try to take it easy on Tony. You know how he will pout tomorrow if you make him look bad." With a wave his newest agent jogged down the sidewalk and out of sight.

Gibbs gave it a few minutes to make sure she wouldn't return. He knew her routine and he knew she would be gone for at least forty-five minutes. When he was satisfied the coast was clear, he drained the remainder of his coffee. He moved the cat off of his lap, gathered the newspaper and stood.

He would have to work quickly if he wanted to make his escape before the young woman returned. Stepping into the house, he dropped the paper on the entry way floor and sat the coffee cup on top of it. He opened the door to the hall closet and retrieved the items he had stashed there earlier.

Gibbs exited the front door again and strode down his front walk and around to Ziva's house. At the front of the house he paused briefly to survey his target. The column on the right, as he had decided earlier, would be the perfect place.

He took the front steps two at a time and deposited his cargo on the porch. He whipped the tape measure off of his belt and with an efficiency born from years of wood working, measured the proper height. Taking the pencil from behind his ear, he marked the spot and then let the tape measure snap back into place.

The hum of the cordless drill broke the silence of the morning. Four holes soon appeared in the wood. Next he opened a package and removed the brass bracket. A quick change of the drill bit for a screw driver attachment and he was able to screw the bracket into place in minutes.

Gibbs had already unwrapped the long, oak pole. He took the fabric out of it's plastic package and carefully unfolded it. Threading the pole through the loops on the fabric was simple. He securely tied the fabric to the pole.

Standing on the top step, Gibbs stretched and settled the staff into the bracket. Moving back, he let the fabric unfold. A gentle breeze stirred the material and it opened gracefully. The former Marine stood back and smiled as he watched The Stars and Strips flutter in the early morning light.

He gathered up his tools and the trash and made his way back to his house. Tools went to the basement. The trash and the newspaper went in the bin. The coffee cup was deposited in the sink. Less than twenty minutes from when it commenced, the mission was successfully completed.

Grabbing his baseball gear from the hall closet, Gibbs left his house again with plenty of time to spare. As he drove the bright yellow Charger in front of Ziva's house he slowed and looked at his handy work.

The flag looked right flying there on her home. He knew Ziva had been disappointed when he had missed her swearing-in ceremony. He had broken his own rule and apologized to her. He knew she understood. But, the apology hadn't lessened the hurt. Gibbs just hoped this simple gesture showed how incredibly proud he was of her.

It was after 1300 when Gibbs returned home. He had spent longer with DiNozzo than he had planned. Batting practice had turned into a good natured competition with each agent trying to hit more baseballs than the other. He had out scored Tony; but, not by much.

As they walked to the cars parked in front if the sports center, DiNozzo had suggested lunch. They had sat for an hour and talked over tacos and cheese dip. After parting with his senior agent, Gibbs had stopped at the market and picked up the steaks for dinner.

As he once again drove slowly past Ziva's house, he smiled at the sight of the flag. This had been one of his better ideas. He turned into his own drive and as he looked at his house, he brought the Charger to a complete stop.

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat and stared in open mouthed shock. It wasn't often he was taken by surprise. Leave it to a former spy to know how to do just that.

Fluttering in a gentle breeze, a flag now hung from the right column of his own front porch. The deep red blended in perfectly with the maroon trim and front door. As the wind increased, the flag unfolded fully. Standing out in vivid contrast was the golden emblem of the United States Marine Corps.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** _I really did not intended to post more to this story; but, it won't leave me alone. I hope everyone enjoys it. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the first two chapters._

**Disclaimer **_I still don't own them and I'm still not making any money from this._

Jethro Gibbs pushed his lawnmower to the front of his house and stopped to wave at his neighbor. Ziva was in her drive washing her squashy, little car. Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, with her hair pulled into a pony tail, she looked all of sixteen. It made the older agent happy to see Ziva enjoying such a commonplace activity. She was finally lowering her guard and living her life.

Gibbs cranked the old mower and set about cutting his small front lawn. The day was already hot and he intended to mow Ziva's yard when he finished his own. This was their first free weekend in several weeks. He had not been able to keep up with chores such as this and his yard was harder to mow than he had expected.

Thirty minutes later he finished the last pass and shut off the mower. Gibbs stood with his hands on his hips and took a deep breath of the hot summer air. He was definitely getting older. He thought of how quickly he would have completed the task only a few years ago. Using the tail of his shirt, Gibbs wiped the sweat from his face.

He stood contemplating the large tree at the corner of his house. He needed to prune the lower limbs away from the house. It was a task that would take several hours and he wasn't certain he wanted to tackle it today.

As he stood looking towards the side of his house, he failed to notice the assassin sneaking up from behind him. He had no indication of what was about to happen. The blast of cold water hit him squarely between the shoulder blades.

Gibbs let out a loud cry, ran several steps forward and turned to face his assailant. That was a mistake. As he turned, the next shot hit him in the middle of the chest. The contact of the cold water against his heated skin was a shock and he threw up his hands to deflect the flow.

Ziva released the trigger style nozzle and smiled, "You looked hot Gibbs. I was just trying to cool you off."

With speed and agility belying his age, Gibbs ran across his yard and vaulted over the short fence that separated the yards.

With a loud squeal of surprise, Ziva dropped the water hose and ran. Barely stopping to scoop the hose off of the grass, Gibbs gave chase. As Ziva tried to out maneuver him, he anticipate the young woman's change of direction. His shot hit her in the back. She tried to change direction again; but, Gibbs kept the hose trained on her.

Ziva managed to reach the large oak tree in the corner of her yard. Ducking behind it provided some protection. She caught her breath and cautiously peered out from behind the safety of the tree. Gibbs purposely hit the tree and drove her back to cover.

The young woman was laughing as she called out, "Truce, Gibbs. I surrender."

"You sure, Ziver?" Gibbs replied.

"Yes, you win." She peeked out again and saw that he still had the hose trained on her position. "I promise, Gibbs."

He lowered the hose and watched as his soaked agent crossed the lawn to where he stood dripping water on her lawn. As she approached, he raised the hose in warning.

"Don't try anything sneaky, David."

"I would not think of it Gibbs. You have proven your superiority in water hose wars."

She changed directions and turned off the faucet located on the front of her house. Gibbs wound the hose and dropped it in the flower bed next to the porch. He joined Ziva on the top step. After he sat, he wrung the water from his shirt and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

The quiet of the summer afternoon was broken by the sound of a distant dog barking and children shouting as they rode by on bicycles. Next to him, Ziva tried to wring the water out of her hair.

"I was home on leave," he began quietly. "Shannon was working and Kelly and I were home alone. She was seven. I was in the driveway washing my truck. When I wasn't looking, she snuck up and turned the hose on me.

Ziva stilled next to him as he continued, "I let her get away with it for a few minutes. Then I took the hose away from her and sprayed her…which was what she wanted. Shannon got home and there we were. Soaking wet and laughing like we were insane."

He lapsed into silence as he watched the neighbor's cat stalk a lizard in front of Ziva's fence. Finally, he leaned over and kissed Ziva on the side of the head before he stood.

"Put that squashy car in the garage so I can mow your yard," he called as he cut across the yard to the fence.

Ziva hoped that from this distance Gibb's wouldn't be able to tell the difference between water and tears. "Gibbs," she called after he vaulted back over the fence.

As he turned to face her, she stood and yelled across to him, "I will start the grill. I will have hamburgers ready when you finish."

Gibbs waved that he had heard and Ziva moved her car as he pushed the mower to her side of the fence. Ziva watched as he cranked the old machine and began to mow her front lawn. As she turned to enter her house, she stopped to watch the flag gently waving from where it hung on her front porch.

This day would be a good memory for her. She looked back to where Gibbs pushed the mower. Ziva smiled. It would be a good memory for both of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** I have no idea where this came from. I hope everyone enjoys it.

**Disclamer** I still don't own them and I'm not making any money off of them.

Gibbs paused his sanding and listened to the sounds coming from the first floor of his house. The front door opening and closing had been what disturbed his work. Now he tracked footsteps across the living room and into the kitchen. They stopped and then he heard his refrigerator open. Items rattled as they were placed on the shelves. The door closed and the footsteps retraced their path back to the front door.

He waited and a few seconds later the door opened and closed a third time. Again, the footsteps crossed to the kitchen and more items were placed in his previously empty refrigerator. Something went in the trash bin. He thought it must have been the left over Chinese from last week. The refrigerator door closed and plastic sacks rustled as they were stored in the cabinet under the sink.

Gibbs moved back and leaned against his workbench. He crossed his arms and waited. The footsteps moved to the basement door. When it opened, he wasn't surprised to see his newest neighbor appear on the landing.

"Gibbs?" Ziva called down.

"Down here, Ziva," he answered. He watched her descend the stairs. Dressed in her usual at home attire of shorts and a t-shirt, she looked more harried than usual. "Any reason you decided to stock my frig?"

Ziva stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pushed her hair away from her face. "My refrigerator made a horrible noise and then it died. I hope you do not mind if I borrow yours until I can have a new one delivered."

"You want me to look at yours?" he offered.

"No, it needs to be replaced. I will change and go pick out a new one now." Ziva started back up the stairs.

"Feel free to cook dinner here," he called up to her.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and turned back to him, "How have you not starved?"

"Take out and the kindness of friends." Her laughter echoed through the basement as she left.

Gibbs heard Ziva return several hours later. He knew it was her when he heard pots and pans being moved from the cabinets to the stove. He continued to work on his latest project as Ziva moved around in his kitchen. For the first time in years, the aroma of food cooking wafted down to his workroom. He smiled when he recognized the spicy scent of spaghetti sauce.

When his stomach growled, he stopped working and put away his tools. Might as well go clean up and see if she needed any help. When he passed through the basement door, he stopped at the sight of the chaos in his normally pristine kitchen.

Ziva had dragged out bowls and platters he didn't even remember he had. There was obviously more than just spaghetti sauce cooking on the stove. She was in the process of making a giant salad on one counter top. The other counter held loaves of garlic bread waiting to go into the oven. And, the leaf had been added to the table to accommodate place settings for seven.

He leaned against the door facing, "We having a party, Ziver?"

She stopped chopping a cucumber and turned to face him, "I planned to make dinner for everyone tonight to thank them for helping me move in. Do you not remember I invited you, too?"

Gibbs ran a hand over his face. He had obviously hurt her feelings. "Oh, hell, Ziva, I'm sorry. After the week we've had, I forgot."

Ziva still looked upset. "When you said I could feel free to cook here, I thought you would be okay with this. I am sorry, Gibbs."

He knew he had to do damage control. "I am okay with everyone coming here. Don't worry. This will be fine."

She wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? I can take everything to my house. We can still eat there like I had planned."

Gibbs crossed to her and took the paring knife out of her hand. The death grip the former assassin had on the utensil made him uneasy.

"Ziva, I'm not going to kick you out. You can feel free to use my kitchen anytime you want. We're neighbors and friends. This is fine." He stole a slice of cucumber from the cutting board. "I'm going to go grab a shower and change."

Twenty minutes later, a freshly showered Gibbs left his bedroom and headed downstairs. He heard Ducky before he reached the living room. The ME was sitting in Gibbs' chair talking with McGee who was on the sofa. The front door opened. Tony, Palmer, and Abby arrived together.

Everyone was soon sitting in Gibbs' living room talking. Ziva was bustling from the kitchen to the dining area to arrange food on the table. When she had everything arranged to her satisfaction, she announced that dinner was ready.

It was after everyone was seated that Ducky observed, "Ziva this is lovely China." He picked up his plate to examine it. "It appears to be quite old."

"It is not mine," the young agent looked to her boss. "It belongs to Gibbs."

Jethro looked closer at his own place setting. He was surprised to see it. He thought for sure that one of the ex-wives had taken the valuable dishes. He looked up to find everyone looking at him obviously waiting for him to explain why he had a set of expensive, antique China.

"Shannon inherited the set when her grandmother died." He couldn't miss the looks of surprise or the way Ziva paled. Jethro was aware they were shocked at his casual reference to his first wife. He placed his napkin in his lap, "Never use them myself. They're a pain in the butt to hand wash."

Ducky prudently and effectively steered the conversation to another topic. The meal was wonderful and everyone enjoyed their time together. The all pitched in to help Ziva put away leftovers and clean the kitchen. They all gathered in the living room for after dinner conversation.

Ziva closed the door behind Tony who had been the last to leave. Gibbs was sitting in his chair nursing a beer. Ziva returned to the living room and sat on the sofa. She had been nervous all evening.

"Gibbs, I am sorry."

Jethro lowered the bottle and studied his agent. He had known she would feel the need to have this conversation.

"Ziva, there's no need to apologize." He hoped, in vain, she would leave it at that.

"Yes, Gibbs, there is. I should not have invaded your home the way I did. And, using the China without your permission was a mistake. I did not mean to bring up painful memories for you."

Gibbs studied the label on the bottle while he composed his thoughts. "Kelly was two when Shannon's grandmother died. We never used the dishes." He smiled faintly, "Toddlers and antique China don't mix real well. I had forgotten all about them."

He looked at the young woman, "Don't beat yourself up over this. I didn't mind you having the party here. I enjoyed the evening. The China should be used, not be stuck away in a cabinet. And, the memories aren't as painful as they used to be."

"Gibbs…"she started to protest again when he cut her off.

"Ziver, it's okay. Really."

"If you say so." She rose from the couch, "Thank you, Gibbs."

He nodded in acknowledgement and watched her leave through the front door. He knew she wouldn't stop worrying over the possibility she had offended him. Not for the first time, Jethro cursed her father for instilling such mistrust in her.

Ziva rose early and dressed. She had to wait for the delivery truck. As she entered her kitchen, she stopped short and stared at the three, cardboard boxes sitting on her table. She approached them cautiously. They certainly hadn't been there the night before.

The boxes weren't taped shut and she carefully lifted the flap on the closest one. Her eyes widened in shock and she quickly opened the other two boxes. There, nestled in newspaper, were all of the pieces to one very old and very valuable set of China.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This one was the result of listening to Willie Nelson sing '**_**Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain'.**_

**Disclamer: Still don't own them and still broke.**

**WARNING: Have tissues handy. It's a tearjerker. I got head slapped for letting someone read this at work without warning her.**

Special Agent Ziva David knew with absolute certainty she wasn't the only member of the MCRT who had read the file. Each agent had pulled the NIS documents from storage. The older agent in charge of the archives looked the other way and never asked the team members to sign their names on the log sheet.

Still, Ziva could tell when DiNozzo and McGee took their turns. It was in the covert looks filled with both parts awe and pity. The sympathy they tried, not quite successfully, to hide could only have one source. After all, Ziva knew she had acted differently after the long weekend she had the file.

After Somalia, the young woman had felt driven to know the entire story. She had stayed in her old room at the Navy quarters that weekend reading and rereading and crying. She had gone over the autopsy reports and the crime scene photos and the evidence logs with the eye of a trained investigator. The newest NCIS agent had poured over the case notes and had memorized even the minutest details.

One of those details had brought her here tonight. This was a day he should not be alone. The others had tried to show their support today, too. McGee had brought him coffee. DiNozzo had Chinese delivered for lunch which had only been picked at. Abby had stopped by his desk and given him silent hugs several times. Now, it was his newest agent's turn.

She had planned for this evening as she would any mission. Ziva climbed the front steps and entered through the unlocked, front door. She placed her backpack on the floor next to the sofa. A change of clothing and her toothbrush would be ready in the event they were needed. She dropped her pillow on the arm of the sofa. She crossed to the kitchen and placed a container of home-made chicken soup into the refrigerator. A bag of rolls, also home-made, was deposited on the counter. Only then did she approach the basement door.

The petite agent descended the wooden stairs and saw him sitting on the floor. His back was pressed against the wall and his blue jean clad legs were stretched out in front of him. His hands were lying atop his thighs and he was staring at the empty space that was usually occupied by a boat. As she crossed to his position, Ziva was surprised by the absence of a whiskey bottle. She turned and slid down the wall to sit next to him. He still hadn't acknowledged her presence.

After a few moments of silence, Ziva reached out her right hand and slid it under his left. There was a hesitation and then he curled his fingers through hers. Ziva remained silent. She had learned that from him.

"She loved pink and purple. And, she loved anything chocolate." Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, almost without conscious thought, began to speak. "She was afraid of thunderstorms. When she was six, she beat up the boy next door because he was picking on a deaf girl who lived across the street."

Ziva tightened her hold on his hand as he seemed to drift along with the memories. "She learned to ride a bicycle without training wheels when she was four. She was terrified of clowns and she wanted to be a veterinarian. "

"The last time I saw her, she was chasing my truck down the driveway, crying and begging me not to go. That's the last memory I have of her." He still hadn't looked at the younger woman but he continued to speak, "I wasn't here. I should have been here to protect her and Shannon."

"Gibbs, it was not your fault. You were doing your job. You had to obey orders. You had no way to know what would happen while you were gone," the young woman tried to keep her voice strong even as she willed herself to not cry.

"I couldn't save her, Ziver. I feel like I failed my little girl," Ziva heard his voice break on that last word. Hearing this strong, usually invincible man in so much pain was tearing her apart.

The guilt he had taken upon himself made her angry. She turned to sit cross legged, facing him.

"Eli worked the day of Tali's funeral. He ordered one of his trained assassins to kill his only son. He sent his only remaining child to be tortured, beaten, raped and killed." She tightened her hold on his hand and searched those electric blue eyes for some sign she was getting through to him.

When she saw she had his attention, she continued, "And, you sit here alone, almost twenty years later, still grieving. You spend your daughter's birthday mourning your loss. Do not ever let me hear you say you were not a good father, Gibbs. If I ever hear you say you were a failure as a father again, I will kick your ass."

She reached up with her free hand to wipe away the tears she had tried so hard not to shed in front of him, "She was very lucky. Kelly had the best father a girl could ever have."

The hug they shared lasted several minutes. She rested her head on his broad shoulder and cried for the losses they had both endured. He stroked his hand up and down her back. Finally, she accepted the handkerchief he dug out of his pocket and offered to her.

She managed a weak chuckle, "And, I was supposed to be taking care of you."

Gibbs leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, "You have, Ziva. Thank you."

"Well, I am not finished yet." She stood and offered him her hand. As he climbed stiffly to his feet, Ziva told him, "I will heat dinner."

Gibbs put an arm around her shoulders and the pair started for the stairs. "I'm not really hungry, Ziva."

"No, but you have not eaten all day. You must eat something, Gibbs," she chastised.

He couldn't help but laugh and ask, "When did you become such a Jewish grandmother, Ziva?" 

"It is genetic, Gibbs. Food may not solve everything; but, it makes the suffering easier." She smiled up at him. "I fixed homemade chicken soup."

"Old family receipe?" he asked as he let her pass through the door ahead of him.

"Yes," she tossed over her shoulder as she pulled the container out of the refrigerator. "It is from your family. Jack emailed me your grandmother's receipe."

As Ziva heated the soup in the microwave, Gibbs washed up at the kitchen sink. He sat in his usual seat and she placed a bowl of the steaming soup in front of him. His stomach growled and he had to admit to himself the food smelled wonderful. It reminded him of his grandmother's kitchen when he was a little boy.

"You hear from Jack more than I do," he told Ziva as she took her place across from him.

Gibbs saw the twinkle in her chocolate colored eyes, "He is a wonderful grandfather.

He gave her one of his most mischievous grins, "Speaking of grandfathers…Isn't it about time you found some nice young man and settled down? I wouldn't mind having a couple of grandkids living next door. I'm not getting any younger you know."

Her mouth opened and her eyes widen in shock, "Oh, my God! Now who is the Jewish grandmother?"

Dinner was comfortable. They ate and talked and Ziva was happy to see Gibbs finished off two bowls of the soup. She raided his freezer and fixed them ice cream for desert. She was one of the few people who knew about his Rocky Road addiction.

It was as he rose from the table to help to put his dishes in the dishwasher that he noticed the backpack and pillow and inquired, "You planning to spend the night, Ziver?"

"Well, it is late and I have such a long trip home, I thought I might stay over." She looked up through her lashes and pretended innocence.

Jethro snorted, "You live fifty meters away. But, stay if you want. I'm going to bed." He stopped to kiss her on top of the head. "Thank you, Ziva." 

She hugged him briefly, "You are welcome, Gibbs."

She was just sitting down on the sofa to untie her shoes when Jethro stopped at the foot of the stairs, "About those grandkids, Ziva? You aren't getting any younger either."

He ducked as the pillow hit the wall next to his head and then Jethro jogged up the stairs. In the living room, Ziva thought the laughter that echoed down the stairs was one of the most wonderful sounds she had ever heard.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **_This came to me as I was watching my dog chase squirrels. The muse strikes when I least expect her. I thought this would be longer; but, they said all they wanted to say._

**Disclaimer: **_Will never own them and will always be a poor, state employee. Suing me will only get you a fat Rat Terrier and a collection of Barry Manilow albums._

Ziva carried bags of groceries through her back door. She stopped short at the sight of legs protruding from under her kitchen sink.

"Gibbs?" she questioned the legs.

"Yeah?" was the muffled reply.

Ziva deposited the bags on the nearest counter. "What are you doing?"

"Hand me the pipe wrench." A hand appeared and waved in her direction.

She selected what she hoped was a pipe wrench and handed it to him. The hand disappeared and then reappeared waving the item, "That a socket wrench, David. The pipe wrench is orange."

Ziva took the first tool and replaced it with the only orange one she saw in his tool box. He grunted his thanks and then said, "Better put the groceries away. Don't want the ice cream to melt."

The young woman did as instructed. As she stored away boxes and bags and cans, she listened to the clanging and grunting coming from under her sink. She had put away the last of the groceries as Gibbs slid from under the counter and stood. He tested the water and then put away his tools.

"You told Abby your sink was leaking," her boss told her as he washed and dried his hands. "Thought I would save you a repair bill."

"Thank you, Gibbs," she handed him a glass of iced tea. "You did not have to do this."

He leaned against the counter and took a drink of the tea. "You ever known me to do something I didn't want to, Ziver?"

She smiled at the nickname and the accuracy of the statement. "No, I have not, Gibbs. But, you do so much for me. You must let me do something to help you in return."

Gibbs crunched on an ice cube. Ziva could tell he was contemplating her offer.

"I was planning on doing some painting today. You can help if you want."

Ziva noticed he looked slightly uncomfortable by the admission. She felt certain that hesitation was due to her less than spectacular attempts at painting when they moved her into her new home. She would not pass up the opportunity to return the many kindnesses he had shown her.

She smiled at him, "I would love to help. Let me change clothes and I will be right over. What are we painting?"

Gibbs put his glass in the sink and headed to the door. "A bedroom."

Ziva entered Gibbs house through the front door and could hear Gibbs moving around overhead. She jogged up the stairs and followed the noise to the opened door of the last room on the right. She stopped at the entrance and looked around with a sinking feeling.

None of the team members had ventured into this empty room. But, the newest agent knew the significance of the pink walls with adorned with white clouds. This had once been the bedroom of young Kelly Gibbs.

Ziva stepped into the room and looked around. He had already done the prep work of patching nail holes and taping off the trim. The hardwood floor was covered with a drop cloth.

"Gibbs are you certain I should help with this?" she asked.

"We're not painting the Sistine Chapel, Ziva," was the gruff reply.

"I know, Gibbs. I just thought…"

He interrupted her, "It's okay, Ziva." His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Might be easier with someone to talk to."

Gibbs handed her a roller and pointed her to the paint and the trays. "You roll. I'll cut in around the trim. Try to get more on the walls than you do yourself."

They started the project and despite what he said about talking, they fell into a companionable silence. They worked comfortably together, each lost on their own thoughts. Ziva covertly checked on him from time to time, but it was difficult to tell how much pain the chore was causing the older man.

Working together they completed the job quickly. Ziva took the brush and roller out back to clean with the water hose. Gibbs took the paint and the drop cloth to the basement. Ziva had just turned the water off when Gibbs joined her on the patio.

He handed her a beer and sat down in a lawn chair. Ziva sat next to him and drank her beer. She listened to the sounds of late afternoon bugs. She watched the dog in the yard behind them chase a squirrel. The maniacal, yippy creature got on her nerves but the former spy had to admit it was effective as a security system.

"Guess I should have done that a long time ago." He quiet words broke through her thoughts.

"You did it when you were ready, Gibbs," she tried to reassure him.

"You're never ready, Ziver." He didn't even try to smile.

"Then why now?" She honestly wanted to understand and she felt he needed to talk.

He took another drink of his beer. "Jack needs a place to sleep when he visits. DiNozzo is always staying here when he gets hurt." Gibbs looked at her and managed a small smile this time. "My neighbor has developed a habit of sleeping over."

Ziva continued to stared at him as she would an uncooperative suspect in interrogation. She was mildly surprised when Gibbs broke eye contact first.

He cleared his throat and studied the shrubs in his yard. "It was time."

Ziva stroked a hand up and down his arm. "You will not forget her, Gibbs. She will always be with you."

He nodded, "I know that now. Just took awhile to realize it."

As the sun set, Ziva rose to leave. "I plan to order pizza. We can eat and watch a movie if you want."

He drained his beer, "Yeah, sounds good. I'll be over in a bit."

Ziva gave in to an impulse. She bent over and place a quick kiss to his silver hair. "Do not be long or I will make you watch _Sex and the City_."

She smiled as she slipped through his back door. She had decided weeks ago that her most important mission was to make him laugh as often as possible. Once again, Ziva had achieved her objective.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N **_Just another episode in the lives of our favorite neighbors._

**Disclaimer **_I don't own them and I'm not making any money from them._

Gibbs entered through the back door and slipped through the kitchen. He was still dressed in his work clothes of charcoal gray pants, black dress shirt and silver and black tie. His NCIS issued Sig and badge were still fastened to his belt.

With his rudimentary computer skills Jethro had done a background check. What he found had not impressed him. In fact he was concerned. An unstable work history, frequent moves, and a financial situation in the toilet were like neon signs flashing the word LOSER.

He paused at the base of the stairs and listened. A blow dryer was humming somewhere overhead. At the sound of a car door closing in the drive, he moved closer to the front door. When the door bell rang, he heard the dryer shut off.

He yelled up the stairs, "I've got it, Ziva. You can take your time." He opened her front door. He was met with the very startled face of what he assumed was Ziva's date.

Jethro stood to the side, "Come on in. Ziva's still getting ready."

The older agent surveyed the newcomer as the young man walked past. He was handsome and polished in a fake sort of way. Jethro motioned to the living room, "Have a seat. She'll be down in a minute."

The young man sat in a club chair and cast a nervous look around. Jethro followed him into the room and hitched one hip on the arm of the couch. The gentleman looked back at Jethro and opened the conversation.

"Hello. I'm Andrew...Andrew Norman," he introduced himself with a rather constipated smile.

Jethro did not return the smile. "I'm Gibbs. Special Agent Gibbs." He mentally cringed when he realized he sounded like one of DiNozzo's bad James Bond imitations.

Still, Jethro had the satisfaction of watching Mr. Andrew Norman's smile wilt. He had to give him credit. Ziva's young suitor gamely soldiered on.

"Do you work with Ziva?" the younger man asked.

"I'm her boss and her neighbor," he responded. He waited a beat and continued, using Ziva's own words, "And, I'm the closet thing she has to a father."

He was pleased to see the look had changed to worry. "And, what do you do for a living, Andrew?"

The younger man rallied a bit, "I'm a civilian employee for the Marine Corps, sir."

Jethro experienced that 'Gottcha' thrill he usually experience in the interrogation room. "What is it you do for the Corps, Andrew?"

He had to struggle not to laugh at the response, "I'm an accountant, sir."

Jethro had to give him credit for politeness. But, it was time to move in for the kill. "That's interesting, Andrew. I was in the Corps."

Young Andrew had no idea what was about to befall him when he asked, "And, what did you do in the Corps, Agent Gibbs?"

He might have still been granted a reprieve. If only he hadn't allowed Jethro to hear the condescension in his tone. Jethro narrowed those ice blue eyes and replied, "Sniper."

Jethro watched the color drain from young Andrew's face. His timing had been perfect. At that same moment, Ziva hustled down the stairs and into the living room.

She greeted Andrew and then turned to Gibbs, "Do we have a case?"

Gibbs stood and smiled at her. "No, no case. The battery for your car won't be in until tomorrow. Just wanted to let you know. You can ride with me in the morning if you want."

After Ziva thanked him, Jethro turned to her date, "Andrew, nice to meet you. Ziva, I'll see you in the morning. You two have a nice evening."

He let himself out the front door. Jethro at least had the decency to hold his smile until he was safely in his own home.

"What did you do to my date?" Jethro looked up at the sound of his newest agent stomping down his basement stairs.

At his purposely blank look, Ziva demanded again, "I know you did something, Gibbs. Now what was it?"

He checked his watch and then remarked oh so innocently, "It's only 2300. Didn't expect you back so soon."

She stopped her pacing at the foot of the stairs to pierce him with her gaze, "Do not play that game with me, Gibbs. I know you did something to Andrew. I want to know what it was."

Jethro leaned against his workbench, "I kept him entertained until you got ready, Ziva."

"Bull!" was her angry retort.

"Honest. We talked about his job," Gibbs mentally crossed his fingers.

Ziva had resumed pacing the width of his basement, "What else did you talk about?"

"I might have mentioned I was in the Corps," he hedged.

She stopped pacing and fixed him with her best version of his own stare. "Did you also happen to mention that you were a sniper, Gibbs?"

He tried, and failed, to not let her see his lips twitch, "I might have."

"I knew it. I knew you did something to frighten him on purpose," Ziva accused.

"What gave you that idea?" he just had to ask.

"You answered my door still wearing your sidearm. You were dressed like a hit-man for the Mob. When I came downstairs, Andrew looked like he wanted to bolt out the front door. All through dinner, he kept making excuses for why he thought it best if he got me home early. And..." she paused to invade his personal space, "when he walked me to my door, he shook my hand."

He lost the battle. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs actually snorted at her pronouncement. In hindsight, he later reflected that laughing had probably not been the best response. He was not surprised when she hit him on the arm.

"Gibbs, I cannot believe you would do such a thing," Ziva folded her arms and stared at him.

Jethro dumped screws from two jars and poured each one of them two fingers of bourbon. He handed her the liquor and then resumed his spot against the workbench.

"Jack tells a story about the first time he went to pick up my mother. Granddaddy was sitting in the parlor cleaning his shotgun. I thought I was a little more subtle." He grinned that wicked Gibbs smile. "But, it's nice to know I got my points across."

Some of her anger had deflated but she still struggled to understand, "What points?"

He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, "That you aren't alone. That someone knows where you are most of the time. That if he hurt you, he would have me to deal with." Jethro rubbed the back of his fingers gently across her cheek. As Ziva looked up into those vivid blue eyes, she was shock by their intensity as he admitted. "He got the point that it wouldn't be wise to mess with my little girl."

Ziva closed the space between them, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his shoulder. "That was incredibly old fashioned and I can take care of myself. But, thank you, Gibbs."

Jethro hugged her back and placed a kiss on the top of her hair. "When you find a guy brave enough to face me a second time, you'll know he has potential."

Ziva drew back and looked at him, "Does this mean I get to approve of all your dates?"

Gibbs put an arm around her shoulders and led her to the stairs, "I don't think so, Ziver."

She wrapped an arm around his waist as they started up the stairs, "Why not? I think that would only be fair."

He ushered her through the door and shut off the basement lights, "No, Ziva."

She made her way to the front door and stepped onto the front porch. "Actually I think it is a wonderful idea, Gibbs. I should screen all of the women who are constantly throwing themselves at you. You know the ones who bat their eyes and toss their hair and thank you for being so brave."

Ziva still heard his laughter despite the door that been closed in her face.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N **_This one didn't want to cooperate. I'm not really happy with it; but, I decided to post it anyway. It was inspired by real life incident involving one of my middle-aged friends who should have known better._

**Disclaimer **_Don't own them. Not making any money from them._

Gibbs opened his front door and stood to the side to let Ziva enter. He watched her awkward progression into his living room. She hadn't quite mastered the use of crutches. And, her scrapped palms made using the crutches painful. His youngest agent stopped next to his couch.

Jethro helped her sit and then placed the crutches next to the sofa. He moved a pillow to the coffee table and helped her prop up her right foot. He winced when the movement caused her to suck in a sharp breath. He waited until Ziva leaned back into the cushions before he moved to the kitchen.

Jethro returned with an ice pack. He carefully placed it on her ankle and returned to the kitchen. He poured soup into a bowl and put it in the microwave. He poured a glass of milk and found a box of crackers. Once the soup was hot, everything went on a tray. He carried it to the living room.

"Ziva, you need to eat so you can take a pain pill." He watched as she opened one eye and looked up at him.

"I am really not hungry, Gibbs." She told him in a slightly whiny voice.

"No food, no pills, Ziva. The pharmacist said you have to take these with food." He waited patiently until she sat up straighter.

Jethro place the tray on her lap and moved the milk to the coffee table. He sat on sofa next to her and watched silently as she ate. He could see the lines of pain around her eyes. Each movement of her foot caused her to wince. The ER doctor who viewed the x-rays said the foot wasn't broken. It was just a very nasty sprained ankle. Gibbs knew from experience that those could hurt worse than an actual break.

Jethro periodically passed her the milk glass and despite her denials, Ziva polished off the food in a matter of minutes. Gibbs reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out the prescription bottle. He shook out a couple of the pills and handed them and the milk glass to Ziva. After she had taken the medication, he returned the dishes to the kitchen.

Her position on the couch didn't look particularly comfortable. Gibbs helped Ziva lay down on the couch. He retrieved more pillows and propped up her ankle.

Once she was comfortable, Jethro sat on the coffee table facing his injured agent. "You comfortable, Ziva?"

"Yes, Gibbs. Thank you." She responded quietly. He could see that the food and medication were already doing their jobs. It was time to confront her while she was relaxed and less likely to put up a fight.

"Then would you mind telling me what the hell you were thinking?" His voice had risen by the end of his question and there was no way Ziva could miss his irritation.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time, Gibbs." The younger woman tried to hold on to some of her tattered dignity.

"You're damned lucky it was only a sprain. You could have been seriously hurt. If that car had hit you, you could have been killed." The worry of the past few hours couldn't be contained.

She was properly contrite. "I know, Gibbs. And, I am sorry I caused you to worry about me."

Jethro wasn't so easily mollified. He ran his fingers through his silver hair. "I would expect something like this from DiNozzo. Not from you, Ziver." He paused and then repeated his earlier question, "What were you thinking?"

She took a deep breath, "I was watching the Davis children and I thought it looked like fun. I wanted to try it."

Jethro narrowed those vivid blue eyes and stared at the young woman. "I'm proud of you for trying new things, Ziver. And, I'm glad you're doing stuff just for the hell of it. But, did you have to try to ride a skateboard on a residential street?"

"I was not riding on the street. I was on the sidewalk, Gibbs." Even to her own ears she sounded like a little girl trying to defend a bad decision. Her defense of her actions was ruined when she had to admit, "I flew into the street when the skateboard hit a rock. The skateboard stopped. I did not."

Jethro rubbed a hand over his face and then quietly admitted, "You scared the hell out of me, Ziver."

Ziva looked up at her boss and could see how shaken he still was. "Gibbs, I am sorry."

He could see she was fast losing the battle to stay awake. Jethro leaned forward and pushed her hair away from her face. "Get some sleep, Ziva."

Her bottom lip trembled slightly, "Are you still mad at me?"

He tried not to smile. She was definitely under the influence of narcotics. DiNozzo got goofy when he was on drugs. Ziva got emotional.

Jethro tried to reassure her, "No, Ziva, I'm not mad at you. I was worried about you."

Ziva snuggled deeper into the sofa cushions and closed her eyes. "I do not wish to cause you to worry, Gibbs."

Jethro leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Get some sleep. Yell if you need anything. And, don't try to get up by yourself."

He was half way to the kitchen when he heard her whispered, "I love you too, Gibbs."

Jethro smiled faintly as he headed down the basement stairs. At his workbench he uncapped the bourbon and took a swig straight from the bottle. With Ziva injured and on drugs, he knew he couldn't indulge himself by getting drunk. He could, however, take the edge off of the leftover nerves.

Jethro leaned against the workbench and replayed the events of the afternoon over in his head. He had been in his back yard when he heard the screams from out front. He had rounded the house at dead run and been horrified to see Ziva lying in the road.

She had been unmoving and feet from the front bumper of a rather large sedan.

He hadn't realized at first what had happened. The Davis kids were the ones who had screamed. As Jethro dropped to the asphalt next to his agent, both of the boys were talking, trying to tell him what had happened. The older man in the car was on his cell phone calling 911.

Fortunately, Ziva had only had the wind knocked out of her. By the time the ambulance arrived, she was sitting up talking to Jethro. Mrs. Davis had come outside and collected her sons. The elderly gentleman had waited to leave until Ziva was loaded in the ambulance. She had of course put up a fuss about going to the hospital. Jethro had overridden her objections and insisted she go to the ER to be checked out.

He had followed the ambulance in his own car. Three hours spent in the ER waiting on the x-rays and a visit from the doctor had passed with excruciating slowness. Through it all, Jethro had managed to hold on to his composure by the thinnest of threads.

The cap went back on the bourbon and the bottle went back on a shelf over the workbench. At the same time, Jethro heard a thud and a muffled "Owww" from overhead.

As he jogged up the stairs, he shook his head. It was going to be a long few weeks until she could take care of herself again. As Jethro helped his very out-of-it agent off of the floor, he wondered if Ziva was too old to be grounded.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N **_Several people want to know how life would be with Gibbs taking care of an injured Ziva. This chapter sprang from that idea. I hope everyone likes it. And, thanks for all of the wonderful reviews._

**Disclaimer **_I don't own them and I'm not making any money from them._

Jethro unlocked and opened Ziva's front door. He stood to the side as she swung through the entry way and into her living room. In the four days since her accident, the young agent had become more adept at maneuvering on crutches.

It had been a long four days for the senior field agent. He had alternated between being the paternal figure who took care of her and being the hard-assed boss who had to deal with an injured, grumpy employee. And, Special Agent Ziva David confined to desk work was not a pretty sight. Jethro just thanked God it was Friday and the team had the weekend off.

Trying to shake off his foul mood, Jethro asked, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Ziva was aware she had been bitchy at work. The forced inactivity was driving her crazy. And, she knew it had been unfair of her to take out her frustrations on Gibbs. He had taken wonderful care of her and had only lost his patience with her once. Ziva knew he needed time to himself.

She tossed her back pack on the sofa and balanced on her crutches. "I am going out to dinner and a movie tonight."

Jethro was surprised by the news. "Really? Are you sure you're up for a date?"

She had to be honest, "Probably not. But, I said I would go." She moved closer to him, "And, you need a night alone."

"Ziva, you know I haven't minded taking care of you," Jethro protested. The look of resignation in her eyes made him feel like a complete bastard. Okay, so he had snapped at her and smacked her on the back of the head that afternoon. But, in his defense, she had been acting like a whiny brat.

Ziva looked up at him and could see the guilt in his blue eyes. She hated that she was about to add to that guilt but she had to tell him the truth.

"I watched one of your American movies about cowboys. One cowboy had to shoot his horse when it broke its leg." She smiled faintly at him, "This afternoon, I knew how the horse felt."

Jethro ran his fingers through his silver hair, "Dam, Ziver…"

She cut him off, "Gibbs, I know it was my fault. I just kept pushing and you finally had enough. I am sorry. I should have taken some time off like you said."

She laid a hand on his arm, "You have taken such good care of me this week. But, you should not have to be stuck with me for twenty-four hours a day. I will go out and try to have a pleasant evening. You can work in the basement or just relax. We will both be in a better mood tomorrow."

Jethro felt like smacking himself on the head. "Ziver, I haven't felt like I was stuck with you." He pushed a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. "Taking care of your kids when they're sick or hurt is just part of being a dad." He saw the sheen of tears in her huge brown eyes. "You know that's how I feel about you, don't you?"

Ziva nodded. Jethro had never said the words, but he had shown her by his action. She had to swallow before she could answer, "I know, Gibbs. For the first time in my life I know how it feels to have a dad who loves me unconditionally. You have given me so much; I know I will never be able to repay you.

Ziva took a deep breath. "I try to be the best agent I can be. I try to make you proud of me. And, I never want you to regret that you fought to get me back on your team. This afternoon I wasn't acting like the federal agent you trained me to be. I was acting like a spoiled child who needed a good spanking."

Jethro had to laugh, "The thought of grounding you has crossed my mind this week."

Ziva laughed, too. "Then let me go out tonight. You need a break from my attitude."

Jethro pretended to consider her request, "I don't know, Ziva. How do I know this young man will take good care of you? And, how well do you know him? What if he tries something? You won't be able to defend yourself."

Ziva smiled and patted his arm, "I have known him for a while now. He is very nice. You do not need be concerned."

As he helped her up the stairs, Gibbs continued to question her. Now that he really thought about her going out alone in her present condition, he was truly worried. "How much do you know about him? What does he do for a living? How can you be sure you can trust him?"

Ziva stopped at the door to her bedroom. "Gibbs, he is very trustworthy. He is very sweet and kind. I am not worried about going out with him. He will take very good care of me and then return me to your house."

She patted him on the shoulder, "He actually reminds me a lot of you. Now, go downstairs and let him in when he gets here. You will see that it will be okay."

Jethro saw little point in arguing with the bedroom door that closed in his face. He returned to the living room and sat on the sofa to wait. He would make sure this joker knew what kind of Hell would rain down on him if Ziva was not treated with the utmost respect and care.

By the time he heard a car pull into the drive, Jethro had worked himself into a state of paternal angst. He crossed to the door and yanked it open the moment the bell rang. And, then he stood frozen in surprise.

"Hey, Boss. Is Ziva ready?" It took a few seconds for the words to connect in the lead agent's brain. He still wasn't sure he understood what was happening.

"DiNozzo, what are you doing here?" Jethro asked as he stood aside to let his senior agent enter.

"Didn't she tell you? We're meeting McGee and Abby for dinner. Then we're going to a movie." Tony looked up the stairs and then lowered his voice to a whisper, "We all figured you could use a night off from babysitting the cranky Ninja. Abby was afraid if we didn't give you a break, the two of you would kill each other this weekend."

"DiNozzo, you have no idea." Jethro felt the most of the tension from the week drain from him. He kept his voice low, too. "Thank you. And, tell McGee and Abby thanks for me. Just don't let her find out you three plotted this."

When Ziva reached the top of the stairs, Jethro headed up to carry her crutches. With one hand on Gibbs' arm and the other on the banister, Ziva slowly made her way down to the living room and her waiting partner.

Tony greeted her with, "Come on, Sweet Cheeks. Let's get this show on the road."

Ziva placed the crutches under her arms and faced the smiling Italian with mock sternness, "DiNozzo, if you call me Sweet Cheeks again, so help me, I will shoot you."

Tony opened the door with a flourish, "Special Agent David, would you care to accompany your starving partner to dinner?"

Jethro smiled at the pair, "You two have fun. DiNozzo, don't keep her out too late."

Jethro locked the front door and followed them to Tony's car. He watched as Tony helped Ziva maneuver her way into the sports car. As Tony backed out of the drive and sped off down the street, Jethro felt a twinge of guilt. Ziva would be seriously pissed if she found out her friends had conspired against her.

He moved his car to his own drive. Gibbs figured he could count on four, maybe five, hours of peace and quiet. He intended to spend them in the basement working on his newest project. And, despite Ducky's latest warnings about his cholesterol levels and Ziva's attempts to make sure he ate healthy, Leroy Jethro Gibbs intended to eat a well-earned pizza.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N **_I almost didn't post this chapter. This isn't where I had planned to go. But, like the other chapters, it wrote itself. Apparently, the muse is in control and I'm just along for the ride. _

**Disclaimer **_I still don't own them and I'm still broke._

Special Agent Ziva David paced her living room and tried to convince herself for the hundredth time that she was not about to make a colossal mistake. She reminded herself that she was a grown woman. She was a trained federal agent. She could take care of herself.

She plopped down on the sofa and put her face in her hands. "Gibbs will be so pissed when he finds out," she muttered to herself. Actually, she knew pissed would be an understatement. She feared she would face anger of apocalyptic proportions when the former Marine ever found out that this evening was really a date.

Ziva straightened as the door bell rang. Taking a deep breath, she rose and crossed to the door. She opened it to find her partner waiting on the other side. She tried not to smile. Tony DiNozzo certainly cleaned up good.

She opened the door wider and as he entered, Ziva could not resist the urge to check Tony out. A dark green Polo shirt complemented his green eyes and dark brown hair. Dark blue denim was tight enough to mold itself to his well formed butt. Ziva shook her head as she closed the door. She had the feeling she was way in over her head this time.

As she turned back to Tony, he presented her with a bouquet of daisies, "For you, my lady."

"Thank you, Tony." She took the flowers from him. "This was not necessary."

And, there was that devastatingly sexy smile that always took her breath away. "I know I didn't, Ziva. But, what kind of guy doesn't bring flowers when he picks up his date?"

"Tony…"

He cut her off. "I know. This isn't officially a date. Rule 12 and the sniper next door. I got it. We're just two friends spending an evening together."

Ziva moved to the kitchen to put the flowers in water. Diner and the movie the previous week had been wonderful. She had been able to relax and enjoy the evening with Tony and the others. That had been due in large part to the comfortable relationship she had with her partner. With Tony she could relax and be herself. She knew she was safe with him.

She placed the flowers on the kitchen table and returned to Tony. "Are you ready to go?"

In answer, he opened the door. "After you, madam."

Ziva locked her front door and allowed Tony to lead her to his car. As she buckled up, she looked next door. She could see her note fluttering on Gibbs' front door. As Tony slid behind the wheel, his gaze followed hers.

"You let him know where you're going?" Tony asked.

"Yes." She paused. "He would worry if I was not home and my car is here."

Tony frowned and Ziva knew she owed him an explanation. "At work he is the boss, Tony. But, here…here it is different."

Tony studied her a moment. "Here he's your father."

Her reply was swift and vehement. "No, Tony. He is not my father. He is nothing like Eli." Ziva looked down at her hands in her lap. "He is my dad. There is a difference." She looked back at the house next door. "He has already lost one daughter. I do not want him to worry about me."

Tony sat back and focused on Gibbs' house. He had to be insane to pursue a relationship with Ziva. Losing his job was the least of his worries. Gibbs would kill him for this. And, Ziva had just upped the stakes. He wasn't just dating his partner. He was in effect dating the boss's daughter. And, he had no illusions that Gibbs would find out about them. He would know.

Ziva's voice broke through his thoughts, "Tony, if you do not want to go out, I will understand."

Tony looked at her and his words were uncharacteristically serious. "I want to take you out, Ziva. I've wanted this for a long time. I won't say I'm not nervous about his reaction. But, I figure you're worth the risk."

"Thank you, Tony." Ziva smiled at him. "That is the nicest thing you have ever said to me."

He shrugged as he started the car. "Just remember when you process my corpse, he won't leave any evidence."

Ziva laughed as he backed out of her drive. As he drove to the restaurant, they joked about the all the possible methods Gibbs would use to murder Tony when he found out about them. In the back of their minds, they both had the thought that it might not be a joke.

NCISNCISNCIS

It was shortly before midnight when Tony walked Ziva to her front door. After dinner, he had taken her to a jazz club downtown. They had listened to the music and talked. Tony had kissed her, one very chaste kiss, in the parking lot of the club. There was no way he would chance such risky behavior on her front porch.

After Tony left, Ziva put her purse away and walked next door. She could see a light on in the basement. She figured she should let Gibbs know she was home. Ziva had also decided it would be better to find out how much Gibbs suspected now rather than later.

The basement door was open and as Ziva started down the stairs, she could hear Gibbs sanding. She reached the bottom and watched him for a moment. He was bent over a piece of wood clamped to a saw horse. She loved to watch him work.

She crossed to the workbench and faced him. "Hi," she greeted him softly.

He looked up from the project and pulled the hated glasses off. "Hey. When did you get back?"

"A few minutes ago. Tony said he has to get up early tomorrow to meet you for batting practice." Tony had also said he hoped Gibbs didn't use the bat on him.

"He could have spent the night here. It would have saved him some time." Gibbs moved to the workbench and put the sandpaper away. "Did you have a good time?"

Ziva knew this was not just a casual question. "Yes, we did. The new jazz club McGee recommended was very good."

Gibbs leaned against the workbench and folded his arms. He looked at the floor and seemed to be weighing what he wanted to say. Finally, he looked back at Ziva.

"Rule 12 exists for a reason, Ziver," he told her quietly. "I learned the hard way that having a relationship with a coworker is not a good idea."

Ziva knew he was speaking of his relationship with Jenny. She also knew he would have figured out that she and Tony had not gone out as just friends. Ziva had vowed to herself that she would never lie to Gibbs. His trust was too important. He was too important.

"I know, Gibbs. But, does that mean it is impossible to make a relationship work?" Ziva prayed he would not tell her it did.

He shook his head, "No, but, it will be damned hard. I know you can't promise to keep it out of work. I see the way the two of you look at each other when you think I'm not watching. Just promise me you will take it slow. I don't want either of you to get hurt. And, don't let Vance find out. I don't want to lose either one of you."

Ziva gave him her solemn vow, "We will try to not let it interfere with our jobs. And, we will take it slowly, Gibbs. I do not think either one of us wants to rush into anything. He is my best friend. I do not want to lose that."

Jethro studied the young woman for a moment. He had seen the signs ever since they brought her back from Somalia. He had hoped it would go away. Apparently, it had only gotten stronger.

"You love him." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

Ziva felt herself blush. Gibbs could read her so well. "Yes," was her quiet reply.

Jethro ran a hand over his face and shook his head. "You know I don't like this. But, I can't tell you what to do."

"Yes, you can. You are our boss. If you say we cannot see each other, we will not." Ziva's chocolate brown eyes were huge as she stared at him.

"No, Ziver, I can't. You would both be miserable. And, the entire team would suffer. You'll figure out how to make this work or you won't. But, as much as I want to, I won't stand in the way." Ziva would never know how hard it was for him to say the words.

He took a deep breath and continued, "Eli never gave you choices. He issued commands and expected you to follow them no matter what. I won't do that."

Ziva crossed to where he stood and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

Jethro placed a kiss on top of her head. "You're welcome."

He released her and then steered her to the stairs. "You know I'm still going to give him Hell about this, don't you?"

Ziva laughed. "Of course, Gibbs. I would expect nothing less."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N** _Thank you to everyone one who has reviewed. I've tried to respond to everyone; but, if I missed you, I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional. I really, really, really hadn't intended for this become Tiva. And, the focus of the story will still be on the relationship between Gibbs and Ziva. But, Tony seemed like the best choice for a serious boyfriend for Ziva in the context of this story. Having said that, I hope everyone enjoys it._

_**Disclaimer**__ They aren't mine and I don't make anything off of this._

Jethro put his coffee mug down on his kitchen table and picked up the sports section of the morning paper. It was a rare weekend off for his team. In no hurry, he was enjoying a luxury he wasn't often able to indulge in on his workdays.

He looked up at the opening of his front door. Expecting to see Ziva, he was startled to see DiNozzo enter. This was certainly a surprise. The two agents had planned to meet later in the morning for batting practice. Jethro noticed Tony looked uncomfortable and nervous.

Tony pulled out a chair and sat opposite Gibbs. The senior field agent had received a two word text message from Ziva this morning. All she had written was "He knows." Tony had experience a moment of panic. Heading to Mexico had briefly crossed his mind.

Then Tony had decided he might as well get the confrontation over and done. During the drive to his boss's house, he had almost changed his mind several times. Then he would remind himself that apparently Ziva had already had this conversation. He felt he had no choice but face Gibbs like a man.

Gibbs had returned to his newspaper. After several minutes, Tony broke the silence, "Morning, Boss."

"Morning," Jethro replied without taking his eyes off of the paper.

Tony rubbed at a scratch on the table top. He shuffled his feet and fidgeted in his chair. Finally, he just blurted out, "Am I fired, Boss?"

Jethro lowered the paper and looked at the younger man over the top of his glasses. "No," he answered.

Jethro had spent most of the night thinking about his agents. He knew better than most the potential for disaster that existed in this situation. Either one of them could cause serious, even irreparable, emotional damage to the other. Jethro had come to the conclusion it might be too late to stop this; but, he had to make sure Tony understood his position.

Tony looked down and asked softly, "Are you going to kick my ass?"

Jethro folded the paper and put it to the side. He pulled off his glasses and laid them on top of the paper. "That depends," he replied.

Tony looked at him and took a deep breath. "Depends on what, Boss?"

Gibbs picked up his coffee cup. "On your intentions."

"My intentions, Boss?" Tony thought it would be best if he let Gibbs clarify what he meant.

Gibbs was more than happy to provide that clarity. "If this is just one of your frat boy flings, I will kick your ass. If you are just trying to satisfy your curiosity, I will kick your ass."

For once in his life, Tony wisely chose to keep his mouth shut and just listen. He had known Gibbs wouldn't pull any punches. And, because of the relationship Gibbs shared with Ziva, Tony respected Gibbs' right to have his say.

"DiNozzo, you better be damned sure this is what you want. You better be prepared to take this seriously. I won't stand by and watch you treat her the way you treat the bimbos you usually date."

"Boss…" Tony attempted to protest, but Gibbs cut him off.

"I'm not finished, DiNozzo." Gibbs waited until Tony settled back down and he had the younger man's full attention. "You will treat her with respect. You will keep this out of the office. She's not one of your conquests you get to brag about to McGee and Palmer. If you can't do that, then drop it now. If you aren't serious about a real relationship with her, then don't go any further with this. If you're just playing your usual games, then stop. You have no idea how much you could hurt her. I won't stand by and let that happen. And, I won't have the team disrupted or maybe even destroyed, just because you've decided you want to see if you can get into your partner's pants. Do you understand me?"

Jethro sat back and watched a range of emotions cross Tony's face. As for Tony, he felt shell shocked by Gibbs' assessment of him. The younger man was hurt that Gibbs seemed to think so little of him. He was angry that his boss would automatically assume he only wanted to get Ziva into bed and nothing more. And, he was disappointed that even Gibbs hadn't notice how much he had changed since the whole debacle with Jeanne.

Tony faced Gibbs and asked quietly, "Can I say something now?"

When Gibbs nodded his permission, Tony took a deep breath, "First, I would never do anything to intentionally hurt Ziva. I think I've already proved that I'm willing to die for her. Second, this is not a game. I've known how I feel about her for a long time. Why do you think I was so pissed when she was seeing Rivkin? I was jealous, Boss."

Tony paused and Gibbs could see how much the younger man was struggling to control his emotions. Gibbs did not expect what he heard next.

"When we thought Ziva was dead, I wanted to die, too. I blamed myself. If I hadn't killed Rivkin, she wouldn't have been on that ship. And, everything she went through in Somalia was my fault, too. It still hurts when I think about what she went through because of me." Tony blinked away tears he refused to shed in front of Gibbs. "I've given her time to heal. Now, I'm going to fight for what I want. If that means I have to quit NCIS, then so be it. We aren't you and Jenny, Boss. We can make this work."

Gibbs had to admire Tony's guts. He hadn't been sure the younger agent would stand up to him or for himself. He had seen how much Tony had matured over the past few years. Apparently, his senior field agent had also grown a cast iron pair of cojones.

Jethro got up to refill his coffee mug. He filled a second mug for Tony. After he settled back at the table, the two men sat in silence for a few minutes. Gibbs was trying to decide just how much of his past he was willing to share. Tony was regretting bringing up Jenny.

Finally, Jethro had to admit, "You're right, Tony. You aren't me and Ziva definitely isn't Jenny. I still think it's a mistake for partners to get involved. But, like I told Ziva, I can't stop you. And, I don't want to lose either one of you. If either of you let this interfere with your jobs, you will see just what a bastard I can be."

Jethro paused for a few seconds and then said quietly, "All I ask is that you take it slowly. She's not ready for fast. You understand what I'm saying, DiNozzo?"

Tony could feel himself blushing. He looked down at the table and nodded, "Yeah, I got it, Boss."

Jethro stood up, "Good. Now, get out of here. I'll see you at 1000."

"We're still going for batting practice?" Tony was surprised. He had been afraid he had destroyed his own personal relationship with Gibbs.

"One thing's got nothing to do with the other, Tony. Not yet anyway."

Tony headed for the door. He definitely felt better than he had when he arrived. He knew this wasn't over. He and Gibbs still had a lot of ground to cover; but, this had been a start.

As he opened the door, the brash young agent smiled over his shoulder, "Do you mind if I leave my car in your driveway for a few minutes, Boss?"

"Don't push me, DiNozzo," was the growled reply.

Jethro heard, "Moving the car, Boss," as the front door closed.

As he headed to the kitchen, Jethro shook his head and muttered to himself, "Why didn't I stay retired?"

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva answered the door seconds after the bell rang. When she had returned from her morning run, she had seen Tony's car in Gibbs' drive way. She had hoped he would stop by her house. The young woman stepped onto the front porch and pretended to surveyed her partner for damage.

"I do not see any blood. It must not have been too bad," she teased him.

"Good morning to you, too, Agent David. And, actually, it was worse than I expected," Tony leaned against railing.

Ziva sobered immediately, "I am sorry, Tony. What did he say?"

"Apparently, he's not too impressed with my past dating habits. He's afraid I'm just trying to add another notch on my bedpost." Tony tried and failed to not sound bitter.

"And, is that what you are looking for, Tony?" Ziva knew it wasn't; but, she wanted to hear him say it.

"Hell, no, Ziva! Do you think I would risk losing my job, Gibbs' respect, and your friendship if that's all I wanted?" Tony was outraged that she could even suggest such a thing.

Ziva only smiled, "Then do not worry. You will change his opinion."

Tony narrowed his eyes, "You are very sneaky, Agent David."

"Yes. But, it got you to quit feeling sorry for yourself," Ziva stepped closer to him.

Before he could kiss her, they heard Gibbs yell, "Hey, DiNozzo! You want to ride with me?"

Tony straightened and gave her a rueful smile, "He isn't going to make this easy, is he?"

Ziva patted his arm. "No. But it is only because he cares about both of us. Now, go. It would not be wise to keep him waiting."

As Tony retrieved his baseball gear from his car, Ziva waved at Gibbs. She just hoped they would play nicely. And, that Gibbs would bring Tony back in one piece. A baseball bat would make a very effective blunt object.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N **_Surprise! Two chapters in one day. This one is __**very**__ short. But, it just had to be written. Tomorrow would be Daddy's 90__th__ birthday. Happy birthday, Old Man. I miss you._

**Disclaimer **_I don't own them and I'm still not making any money off of them._

Ziva finished putting chocolate icing on a Black Forest Cake. She licked the remaining icing off of the spatula before she put it and the bowl into the sink. She checked the contents of the oven and turned down the temperature. Everything should be ready on time.

She ran upstairs for a quick shower. She left her hair in loose curls and applied the barest amount of cosmetics. Ziva dressed in a nice outfit of tan slacks and a bronze silk blouse.

Ziva returned quickly downstairs and checked the dining table one last time. The china looked perfect with the antique set of silver ware she had found on Ebay. She checked the centerpiece again and rearranged several flowers. She wanted everything to be perfect.

At the sound of a quiet knock, she passed through the kitchen and opened the back door. As she motioned to the living room, she dialed her cell phone. Gesturing for quiet, she listened to the rings.

When Jethro answered, she tried to sound serious, "Gibbs can you please come over? My hot water heater is leaking."

When she flipped the phone closed, she smiled and turned to the living room. "Get ready. He is on his way."

Less than two minutes later, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs opened Ziva's front door and walked into a scene he would have avoided had he been given any warning.

"Happy Birthday Gibbs!" was shouted by his entire team including Abby, Ducky and Palmer. Then, much to his surprise, he heard a very familiar voice say, "Happy Birthday, Leroy." Jack stepped out from where he had been hiding behind Tony and McGee.

"Dad? When did you get here?" Jethro hugged his father.

"This afternoon. Tony picked me up at the airport." Jackson returned his son's hug.

Jethro released his dad and looked at the members of his team. He zeroed in on his newest agent. "This was your idea." It was a statement not a question.

Ziva patted him on the arm. "Yes. But, everyone helped."

Each of his friends wished him an individual Happy Birthday as Ziva started to bring food from the kitchen to the dining table. It didn't pass Jethro's notice that Tony was the one who helped her.

When everything was ready, Ziva directed Jethro to sit at the head of the table. After everyone was seated and had served their plates, it was Ducky who addressed Gibbs.

"Jethro, we knew you wouldn't want us to make a fuss. However, we wanted to do something special in honor of your birthday. " The ME handed Gibbs a card.

Jethro put on his glasses and opened the card. For the second time that night, he was speechless. His team and Jack had made a substantial donation to the Wounded Warriors Project in his honor. He removed his glasses and continued to look at the table for a few seconds.

Finally, he looked at the people sitting around him and had to clear his throat before he could speak, "Wow. This means a lot. Thank you."

The dinner was a huge success. As usual, everyone enjoyed Ziva's cooking. She had used several recipes provide by Jack to make Jethro's favorite dishes. The Black Forest cake had been an instant hit.

Everyone moved between the living room and the dining room in ever changing groups. They had sat and talked for hours. Jack fit in well. Much to Jethro's chagrin, Jack was happy to oblige the young people with stories of Jethro's childhood and teenage years. He and Ducky had even made plans to meet for lunch before Jack returned to Stillwater. And, for once, Jethro had relaxed and let himself be part of the group.

When the party began to break up, it was McGee who admitted they had hidden their cars in several driveways up and down the street. Ziva had arranged it with their neighbors. Jack headed next door. He would be staying for several days. Jethro let him know about the new guest room. Finally, Jethro and Ziva were alone in her living room.

"I can't believe you did this. Thank you for getting Jack here." He hugged her tightly.

Ziva returned the hug and said, "You are welcome." She leaned back and looked up into those vivid blue eyes. "Happy Birthday, Dad."

Jethro looked at her for several seconds before he wrapped her in another tight hug. Ziva knew he didn't want her to see how much her words had affected him. Still, she heard the sniffles.

**A/N** **For anyone who is interested, the Wounded Warriors Project provides assistance to wounded veterans and their families. You can check them out at . **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I had planned to post this chapter on Friday or Saturday. But, life got in the way. Then this chapter didn't want to end and it turned out to be longer than usual. I hope no one is upset about that. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own them and I'm still not making any money from this.**

"Hey. Got a minute to give me a hand?" Gibbs flipped his cell phone closed as soon as he received a positive reply.

He leaned against the workbench and took a drink of coffee. Balanced across two sawhorses, Jethro's latest project sat in front of him. Working in his spare time, it had taken several weeks to complete this one. It had turned out perfectly. The wood, dark golden oak, gleamed in the overhead light. Each board had been hand sanded until they looked like satin.

Ziva jogged down the stairs and stopped next to Jethro. "What do you need my assistance with, Gibbs?"

He took another drink of coffee and nodded at the sawhorses.

"That is a porch swing," Ziva stated the obvious.

"Yep," he replied.

Ziva gave it a closer examination. The craftsmanship was impeccable and it was quite beautiful. She turned to Jethro, "You built this?"

"Yep," was again his only reply.

"You want my help to hang this on your porch?" Ziva inquired.

"Nope." This time Jethro smiled at the young woman. "You're going to help me hang it on your porch."

Ziva looked from the Jethro to the swing and back again. "You built this for me, Gibbs?"

"Yep," he responded again with a bigger smile.

She cautiously ran a finger over the curved back. Ziva knew he had spent many hours working on this project. That he had put such effort and care into it something like this for her left her speechless.

Jethro put his coffee cup on the workbench. "Come on. Help me get it up the stairs." He pointed Ziva to one end of the swing.

Working together they managed to carry the heavy oak swing up the stairs. They soon had it out of Jethro's house and over to Ziva's front porch. Jethro directed her to sit it to the side where it would be out of his way.

"You decide where you want it. I'm gonna go get a ladder." Jethro left Ziva still staring at the swing and headed back to his house. He gathered the ladder, a cordless drill and the hardware to hang the swing. When he returned to Ziva's porch, she was still standing where he left her.

"So, where do you want it?" He asked her as he propped the ladder against one of the columns.

It was then that she finally turned those huge, chocolate eyes to him. "You built this for me."

"Well, yeah, Ziver. Figured you would enjoy sitting out here to read," he replied slightly baffled.

"This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, Gibbs. Thank you," she said while looking back at the swing.

"So, you decide where you want it?" he asked hoping she wasn't about to get all weepy on him.

She chose the side of the porch to the right of the front door. It took several minutes for him to set up the ladder and drill the necessary holes. Jethro had Ziva hand him the hardware and tools he needed to attach hooks to the ceiling. Finally, Jethro lifted the swing and Ziva stood on the ladder to attach the chains to the hooks.

He stood back to check that it was hanging level. "Looks good there. You picked the perfect spot. Try it out."

Ziva touched the dark, golden wood of the arm with one finger and set the swing in motion. "It is too pretty to use."

"Ah hell, Ziver, you aren't going to hurt it. Sit on it," Gibbs had grown accustomed to her displays of emotion when they were alone. But, that didn't mean he was comfortable with them.

Ziva sat and cautiously moved the swing back and forth. "This is so wonderful, Gibbs. Thank you. "

Jethro sat next to her, "I'm glad you like it. I was thinking of building a picnic table for your patio next."

"Gibbs, you are spoiling me," Ziva told him.

Jethro just shrugged, "It's about time someone did. You deserve it."

"I intend to cook dinner for you tonight," Ziva told him.

"Actually…" At his pause, Ziva turned to look at him. She could see a faint blush staining Jethro's cheeks. "I have a date tonight," he reluctantly admitted.

Ziva could not pass up an opportunity to tease him, "I do not recall you asking for permission, Gibbs."

He smiled, "Didn't know I had to, Ziver."

She tried to look stern, "Oh, yes, Gibbs. We discussed this. If you can approve of whom I date, I can do the same."

Jethro had known that conversation would come back to bite him in the butt. She would never let him live it down. He had to grudgingly admit his choice in women hadn't always been the best. Maybe having her opinion would be a good thing.

"Fine. If I decide to take her out a second time, you can meet her," he conceded.

"So, where did you meet her? What is her name? Where does she do for a living? What do you know about her?" Ziva fired off a volley of questions at a rapid pace.

"The coffee shop, Elizabeth, elementary school principal, and more than I'm going to tell you," Gibbs answered with as little information as possible.

"Gibbs, that is not fair. I need more details that that," Ziva protested.

He stood and gathered the drill and the ladder. "That's all you're going to get for now." He bent and kissed her on top of her head. "You can cook dinner tomorrow night and interrogate me then."

Ziva pretended to pout, "Fine, but I will get answers." As Jethro started down the steps she called out, "Do not forget to take her flowers. And, wear the dark blue shirt with the silver tie." She could hear his laughter as he headed back to his house.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Several hours later, Ziva was still sitting on her front porch. As Jethro had suggested, she had brought a book and a glass of raspberry tea out to the swing. She had been there when Jethro left for his date. He had waved as he backed the Charger out of his drive. Ziva had returned the wave and had smiled when she saw he was wearing the shirt and tie all of the female NCIS employees admired so much.

At the sound of a car pulling into her drive, Ziva looked up from her book. She was surprised to see Tony getting out of his newest sports car. She put her book down and waited as he crossed the lawn.

He greeted her as he jogged up the steps, "Good evening, Agent David."

She smiled, "Good evening, Agent DiNozzo."

"Is the sniper home?" he inquired.

When Ziva shook her head no, he leaned forward and placed a very soft kiss on her lips. As he straightened, he took notice of the porch swing.

"Hey! This is cool. Where did you get it?" he sat next to her.

Ziva used her foot to set the swing in motion. "Gibbs made it for me."

DiNozzo looked more closely at the detailed craftsmanship. "This is amazing. I wish I could do something like this."

"Maybe Gibbs would teach you," she said with a smile.

Tony snorted, "Yeah, right. I don't think either one of us has the patience for that." He picked up her book and looked at the cover. "Pride and Prejudice? Seriously?"

She snatched the book from his hand. "Yes, Tony. I happen to enjoy it." She laid the book on the other side of her. To forestall and snide comments he might make, Ziva asked, "Would you like a glass of iced tea?"

When Tony said yes, she went inside to fetch him a glass. When she returned to the porch, she was surprised to find Tony holding a book of his own. His grin was sheepish.

"I went to the bookstore today," he explained.

Ziva handed him his glass. She took the book from him and read the cover. She was shocked by his choice. "You just happened to choose a book about an Israeli spy?"

"No," he took the hardback away from her. "I got hooked on this series after I had the plague. For weeks, all I could do was lie around. Even I can't watch that much television. McGee brought me the first book in the series. This is the latest one."

She eyed him with new appreciation, "I did not know you liked to read, Tony."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Zeevah," he retorted.

Ziva just patted his leg and returned to her own book. They sat in comfortable silence, each lost in the pages of their books. A slight breeze made the shaded porch quite comfortable. It was only when it became too dark to see that Tony finally marked his place and put his book aside.

"This was nice, Ziva," he told her.

"I will be sure to tell Gibbs you enjoyed the swing," she teased.

"I'm being serious here, Ziva. It's nice to have someone I can relax around and just hang out with," Tony admitted.

"I know, Tony. It is wonderful that we do not have to play games with one another," Ziva replied.

Tony kissed her for the second time that evening. "I better go. " As he stood, he smiled at her. "We'll have to do this again."

"Anytime, Tony," Ziva watched him cross the lawn to his car. She had to admit to herself that she admired the view.

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva was curled up on the sofa with her book when she heard her backdoor open and then close. She glanced at the mantle clock. It was shortly after midnight. The young agent was not concerned. Only one person, other than herself, had a key to that door. She recognized his footsteps as he passed through the kitchen. Jethro had obviously seen her light and known she was awake.

"Gibbs, is anything wrong?" Ziva asked.

"Nah, just thought I would let you know I'm back," he told her as he sat in the club chair across from her.

Ziva sat up and crossed her legs under her. "So, how was your date?" She knew she would get minimal details.

"It was fine," Jethro hedged.

"Just fine, Gibbs? I want to hear all about it," she was eager to hear whatever he would tell her.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are nosey?" he stalled.

"That is why I am such a wonderful investigator. Now tell me everything," Ziva demanded in a tone she would never get away with at work.

She was rewarded with that lopsided grin, "We had dinner and then we went to that jazz club McGee recommended. Then I took her home."

"And?" Ziva was not satisfied with the condensed version.

"And, that's all you're getting. I'm not telling you what happened once we got back to her house," Jethro's tone said that subject was off limits.

Ziva felt her cheeks heat. She tried to stop the mental images before they could get started. "Please do not. There are certain things children do not want to think about their parents doing."

Jethro blushed but he still smiled. "We didn't do that, Ziver."

Ziva leaned forward, "Will you see her again?"

"I certainly plan on it," the smile widened.

Ziva hoped that he had found someone who would make him happy. "Do not forget, you said I can meet her."

Jethro stood. "If you promise to behave yourself."

Ziva followed him to the front door. "I will be on my best behavior, Gibbs."

"Night Ziva," Jethro gave her a quick hug.

"Good night, Dad," she returned the hug. "By the way," she called to him, "I was right about the shirt and tie, yes?"

From her place on the porch, Ziva heard his laugh and the word "brat" come from her driveway.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N **_I'm sorry it's taken so long to update. Another nasty migraine kept me away from writing for a few days. To make up for the delay, this chapter is longer than usual. Thank you to everyone who continues to read. And, a big hug to everyone who has reviewed._

**Disclaimer**_I still don't own them and I'm still a poor state employee._

Ziva looked at the bright yellow Charger in the drive and jogged up Jethro's front steps. As usual, she opened the front door without knocking. As she turned left into the living room, the young agent stopped suddenly. Jethro was sitting on the sofa with a woman. They both looked at her.

"Gibbs, I am sorry. I did not know you had company. I will talk to you later," Ziva turned and started back to the front door.

Jethro stopped her, "Ziva come on in. I would like to introduce you to someone."

When Ziva turned back to the living room, she found that Jethro and his lady friend had risen from the sofa. Ziva wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her shorts as she walked to stand in front of the coffee table.

"Liz, I want you to meet Special Agent Ziva David. Ziva this is Elizabeth Dixon." Jethro looked from one to the other.

As Ziva shook hands with Elizabeth, she sized up the older woman. Elizabeth appeared to be in her mid-forties. She was dressed very stylishly if somewhat conservatively. What surprised Ziva most was that Elizabeth's shoulder length hair was light brown. She was not a redhead.

"Hello. It is nice to meet you," Ziva told her.

Elizabeth smiled at the younger woman. "It is nice to finally meet you, too. Jethro has told me a lot about you."

Ziva sat in the arm chair next to the fireplace and leveled a look at Jethro as she replied, "That is a surprise. He has not told me much about you."

Before Jethro could respond, Elizabeth sat on the end of the sofa nearest to Ziva. She looked at Jethro and smiled. "We have time before our reservations. Feel free to make yourself scarce while Ziva and I get to know one another."

Jethro sat next to her on the sofa. "Not a chance."

"Does he look nervous to you, Ziva?" Elizabeth asked Ziva.

Ziva looked at Gibbs before responding, "Yes, he does. He is afraid of what I will ask."

Elizabeth laughed. "Please, feel free to ask whatever you want. And, please call me Liz."

Ziva looked first at Gibbs who was trying to appear relaxed and unconcerned and then back to Liz. "Gibbs told me you are a school principal."

"Yes, I'm the principal at Regan Elementary school. I've worked there for ten years now," she told Ziva. "I taught third grade for 10 years before I became a principal."

"How did you two meet?" Ziva asked next.

"We go to the same coffee shop every morning. Several weeks ago, we struck up a conversation." Liz smiled. "I thought he was very cute."

Ziva looked at her thoughtfully, "It is his eyes, yes?"

Liz giggled, "Yes. And, his smile."

Jethro stood up, "That's it. I'll be in the basement when you two finish talking about me."

Both women watched as he left the room. It was Liz who spoke first. She was suddenly very serious.

"Ziva, Jethro has told me how close the two of you are. He's told me that he considers you his daughter." Liz paused and looked closely at Ziva. "I can tell from the way he speaks of you that he loves you very much. I would very much like to get to know you."

Ziva considered her response before she spoke, "I feel the same way about Gibbs. I only want him to be happy."

Liz sat back on the sofa, "I have nothing to hide. I was born and raised in Richmond. My parents still live there. I have been married once. My husband, Scott, died of cancer. He worked for the IRS. That's how we ended up living in Washington. I love to read and I enjoy going to the theatre. In my spare time I volunteer with the Humane Society and the Literary Council. I lead a fairly quiet, uneventful life."

"He has told you about the three ex-wives?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, he has. He's also told me about Shannon and Kelly," Liz replied quietly. "Ziva, I like Jethro. We have fun when we're together. I understand he's been hurt in the past. I only want to get to know him better and see where this can lead."

"I should let you get on with your evening," Ziva rose. "I am glad we met, Liz."

The two women shook hands and Ziva let herself out. Ziva returned to her house in time to see Tony pulling into the drive. She waited until Tony exited the car and walked with him to the porch. When she sat on the porch swing, Tony leaned against the railing.

"Zi, not that I don't like sitting out here, but I thought we were going to order dinner," Tony told her.

"We are Tony. But, first, I thought you might like to see Gibbs' date," she never took her eyes off of Jethro's house.

Tony sat beside her. "Gibbs is going on a date?"

"Yes and she is at his house now," Ziva answered.

Tony looked in the direction of Gibbs' front door. "You met her?"

"Yes," Ziva said.

"What did you think of her?" Tony questioned as the front door opened and Jethro ushered Liz to the antique Charger. He noticed that Ziva did not answer his question.

The two younger agents waved. Liz returned their wave with a smile. Ziva set the swing in motion and watched as Jethro backed out of the drive and headed down the street.

"Zi? Are you alright?" Tony asked.

"Yes, Tony." Ziva stood. "We should order dinner." She unlocked her front door and let Tony enter ahead of her.

"Would you like Chinese or pizza?" Ziva pulled out her cell phone and retrieved take out menus from the kitchen.

"Chinese sounds good," Tony told her. He could tell she was troubled. "Ziva, talk to me. You aren't happy about Gibbs dating, are you?"

Ziva ignored him again and called in a delivery order for their usual choices. When she closed her phone, she looked up to find Tony still watching her.

"What?" she demanded.

"You're jealous," he stated.

"Of course I am not jealous," Ziva sounded indignant.

"Sure you are. If he gets serious about this woman, you'll have to share him with her. You're afraid he won't have as much time for you. You're afraid you won't be as close." His observation was based on his years of investigative work and on watching how strong the bond between Ziva and Gibbs had become.

Ziva wanted to deny what Tony said. She sat on the sofa and though about how she really felt about the situation. As much as she hated to admit it, Tony was correct.

"I am happy for him. She seems very nice. And, he deserves to have someone in his life who can make him happy," Ziva told Tony. She sighed, "But, you are right. I do not want things to change."

Tony sat next to Ziva and put an arm around her shoulders. "I know how you feel. You know, I was jealous of you at first."

Ziva's eyes were huge with shock. "Why were you jealous of me?"

Tony smiled faintly, "Because, from the minute you joined the team, everyone could tell you were special to Gibbs. He treated you differently. I was afraid you were going to take my place. You aren't the only one who needs a dad, Ziva," he quietly admitted.

"Tony…" Ziva was speechless.

He ran his fingers through her long curls, "I know. Pretty juvenile and insecure of me, huh? Like that's a huge shock. Gibbs loves you Zi. He won't turn his back on you…ever."

She tried to smile at Tony. "In my head, I know you are right. It is my heart that is concerned."

"I know, Ziva. Just try to give this lady a chance. You might really like her. You could gain a stepmom out of this," Tony tried to cheer her up.

"I have read the fairy tales, Tony. Is it not the stepmother who feeds the young princess poisoned apples?" As usual, Ziva was not about to make this easy.

Tony smirked at her, "So, you think you're a princess do you?"

Ziva punched him on the arm and tried not to laugh. "You know what I mean."

"Oh, no, Special Agent David. I want to know how long you've considered yourself Gibb's little princess," Tony captured her hands before she could hit him again.

The resulting struggle left them both breathless from laughter. Ziva was draped across Tony's lap. He was still holding her hands. Tony found himself staring into those huge brown eyes. Before he could think better of the idea, he leaned forward and kissed her.

When he released her hands, Ziva wrapped her arms around Tony's neck and returned the kiss. He pulled her closer and tangled his fingers in her long hair. He had the faint thought that Gibbs would not consider this taking things slowly. Then her kisses short circuited his ability to think. The sound of the door bell had them jumping apart like guilty teenagers caught making out.

Ziva rose and straightened her clothing and hair. Tony also had to make a quick adjustment before he could answer the door. He paid the delivery person and accepted their dinner order. He followed Ziva into the kitchen and fixed drinks as she served their meal onto plates.

Once they were seated and eating, Tony had to ask, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Tony. Why would I not be?" Ziva questioned.

He toyed with the food on his plate. "I want you be comfortable with whatever we do. I don't want you to feel like I'm rushing you."

Tony watched as Ziva reached over and covered his hand with hers. "Tony, I am not fragile."

She had never seen such a serious look in her partner's green eyes. He turned his hand over and clasped hers. Tony wasn't sure how to say what he felt he needed to say. But, he knew he had to try. They had avoided the subject for long enough.

"You are one of the strongest women I know, Ziva. I just don't want to hurt you. I don't want to do anything you aren't ready for," Tony admitted quietly.

Ziva squeezed his hand. She understood what he had left unspoken. She had been worried that after her experiences in Somalia he might think less of her. She had never considered that he would be afraid of hurting her. "Tony, you must know that I could never be afraid of you. I promise I am fine."

Tony leaned over and kissed her softly. He sat back and tried not to blush as his stomach loudly growled. As usual the MCRT had skipped lunch.

Ziva giggled, "Food first then kisses, Tony."

That gained her one of his trade mark lecherous grins, "Promise?"

They took their time with dinner and talked as they ate. They discussed their latest case and the lack of evidence that had them grasping at straws. Tony told Ziva about the upcoming charity baseball game between NCIS and the FBI. He and Gibbs would be on the team. Ziva described her shopping trip with Gibbs to buy lumber for her picnic table.

Tony helped Ziva clean up and put away the left-over food. They returned to the living room and sat together on the sofa. Ziva reached over and took Tony's hand in her own.

"I think I remember someone promising me a kiss," he told her.

"You only want one, Tony?" she asked with a smile.

He pretended to think. "That might not be enough."

She used his hand to pull him closer, "Why do we not start there and see what happens?"

As they had both known it would, that one kiss had led to another and then another. At some point, tongues had become involved and soon Ziva was sitting across Tony's lap. Her arms were around his neck. His arms were around her back and his hands were tangled in those beautiful curls.

Lack of oxygen finally forced them apart. Tony hugged Ziva to him and inhaled the scent of her shampoo and her perfume. She was more intoxicating than any alcohol he had ever sampled. And, he had found that he couldn't keep his hands away from all that hair. When they were together like this, it was difficult to remember why this might be a bad idea.

Ziva returned Tony's hug and laid her head on his shoulder. She placed light kisses along his neck and behind his ear. She also took in that scent that she had secretly come to think of as Essence of DiNozzo. It was a combination of expensive cologne and pure male. She was sure she could pick him out of a line up even if she was blindfolded.

Tony couldn't prevent a laugh from escaping, "You sound like a female panther scenting her prey."

Ziva pulled back from his embrace and leveled a sultry look at him. "Perhaps I should mark my territory, yes?"

"No, you shouldn't," Tony tried to look stern. "I do not want to explain that to Gibbs tomorrow."

He gave her several more gentle, lingering kisses. Tony knew he had to stop now while he still could. Tonight wasn't the night for anything more than this. A lap full of warm, willing female wasn't making his decision to be noble easy.

"Zi?" he whispered.

"Hmmmm?" she answered while placing kisses on his jaw. Tony could have sworn Ziva sounded like she was purring.

He kissed her again and rearranged her on his lap so that there was no doubt what he really wanted. "Ziva, I think we should stop."

She drew back and this time the look she gave him said he had clearly lost his mind. "Why?"

Tony took a deep breath, "Because, if we don't stop now, I'm not sure I'll be able to. And, as much as I want you, I don't think we're ready to take that step yet."

Ziva leaned her forehead against Tony's shoulder. "You are right, Tony. I am sorry."

"Hey! There's nothing to be sorry about, Sweetheart. We just got a little carried away," he grinned. "That's the great thing about dating an old guy like me. I have great self control."

"Someday, I will have to test that self control, Tony," she told him.

"You already have, Ziva. Believe me, you already have," he kissed her again. "Now, let me up. I think I should be gone before the Boss gets home. So far, we haven't pissed him off too much. But, he'll be in foul mood tomorrow because we haven't gotten anywhere on the case. I don't want to give any more reason to yell at us."

Ziva stood and put her hands on her hips. "You are afraid of him," she stated.

"Yes, but not the way you think. I can handle him when he acts like a bastard. I've been doing it for years," Tony told her. "As Senior Field Agent, it's my job to make sure his foul moods don't spill over onto you and McGee."

Ziva narrowed her eyes and studied her partner. It all made sense now. "That is why you act so juvenile. You annoy him on purpose. You make yourself a target."

"Gee, took you long enough to figure it out. And, you call yourself an investigator," Tony teased.

"Tony…"

He cut her off, "Don't worry about it, Ziva. Gibbs knows."

Ziva hugged him. "I never guessed, Tony."

He returned the hug. "Just don't tell McGee. He thinks he's the smart one."

After Tony left, Ziva curled up on the sofa with her book. Instead of reading, she stared into space. Tony never ceased to surprise her. Just when she thought she had her partner figured out he showed her another side to his personality. She would never have imagined that he drew the focus of Gibbs' temper to himself to spare her and McGee. Ziva felt they did not need the protection. But, she was perceptive enough to know the relationship between Gibbs and Tony was more complicated than she had always suspected.

She put her book aside as she heard footsteps in the kitchen. Gibbs took his usual seat in the club chair. He had taken the time to change into faded jeans and a USMC t-shirt.

"You are home early. How did the evening go?" Ziva asked.

"It was good. It's a workday tomorrow for both of us so we called it an night early," Jethro paused then asked, "What did you think?"

"I liked her. Liz seems very nice," she responded. "She is very pretty."

Jethro smiled, "Yeah, she is."

Ziva tried to look serious. "I want to get to know her better. But, for now, you have permission to continue seeing her."

Jethro laughed, "Well, thank you, Ziver. I'm glad I have your permission. So, how was your evening?"

Ziva echoed his words. "It was good. We stayed here. We ordered Chinese in and we talked. We also decided to make it an early evening. Tony felt our boss might be angry if he found out we stayed up late on a work night."

Jethro laughed again. "Yeah, I've heard your boss can be a real bastard."

He headed for the front door where he stopped and turned to Ziva who had followed him. "I'm glad you liked her. She's exactly what she seems to be; a very nice lady. Makes me wonder what she sees in me."

"That is obvious. She thinks you are hot," Ziva gave a sputtering Jethro a cheeky grin. She patted him on the arm. "Once she got past those blue eyes and that charming smile, she realized that you are also very nice."

"Thank you, Ziver," Jethro kissed her on the forehead as he left.

Ziva smiled as she watched Jethro head down the sidewalk. There was definitely a strut to his walk. As Jethro passed under a street light, she caught a flash of that charming smile. As she closed and locked the door, Ziva giggled to herself. Apparently Tony wasn't the only stud on the MCRT.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N **_I haven't had much time to write this past week. This is just a little bit of extra-fluffiness I wrote over the weekend. Thanks to everyone who is still reading. And, hugs to everyone who has reviewed._

**Disclaimer**_ I don't own them and I'm still not making any money off of them._

"I throw like a girl," Ziva yelled.

"You are a girl," Gibbs yelled back.

The agents were in Ziva's back yard. Jethro walked to where Ziva was standing. He figured this was a hopeless, but he had promised she could play on the NCIS baseball team. One of their female players had recently found out she was pregnant and would no longer be able to play. Ziva had insisted that, as she was now an American, she wanted to learn the game. Jethro really didn't want to lose to the FBI, but he couldn't refuse when she turned those big, brown eyes on him.

"Stand to the side and watch me" he instructed. He then proceeded to demonstrate, again, how to throw the ball.

"Don't try to get fancy. Just try to get the ball to the other player." He handed her one of the baseballs and moved behind her. "Hold it like this." He placed the ball in her hand correctly. He drew her arm back. "Make sure you snap your wrist when you let it go."

Jethro moved back several feet. "Now you try it."

This time the ball actually made it a dozen feet before it plopped to the ground. Ziva turned to Gibbs with such animation on her face, he couldn't tell her she stunk.

"That was better, yes?" She sounded so hopeful he had to smile.

"Yes, Ziver, that was better. Try again. This time don't bring your arm over your head. Keep it level with your shoulder." He handed her another ball.

This time the ball made it a few feet further.

"Better. Try again. Don't close your eyes when you throw. And, follow threw from the waist." Jethro handed her another ball.

A dozen tries later, Jethro had to admit Ziva was getting better. She definitely wasn't Major League material. However, she was able to throw almost the length of her tiny backyard. Maybe she wouldn't embarrass herself too badly.

"I'll take you to the batting cages tomorrow. For now I'll show you how to hold the bat and swing." He hoped she was better at this part of the game.

Jethro demonstrated first. Then he handed her the bat. Standing behind her again, he helped her find the correct stance. He showed her how to swing the bat and had her practice several times. He was surprised as he watched her. Ziva definitely looked like she knew what she was doing.

"Gibbs, can I please swing at a real ball?" Ziva turned to him with a pleading look.

"I don't know, Ziver. We don't have enough room here." Jethro answered.

"Please. I just want to try it one time with a real ball." She widened those chocolate eyes that Gibbs couldn't resist.

"Okay. But, just one." He told himself she would never connect with the ball.

Ziva set her feet in the grass and raised the bat to her shoulder. She took a few practice swings like she had seen Gibbs do. She bent her knees and leaned slightly forward. The look on her face was one of pure concentration.

Jethro shook his head and grinned. Ziva was approaching baseball with the single minded determination she applied to everything she did. He had to admit that he was having fun teaching her the game.

Jethro faced Ziva from the length of her yard and pitched a fast ball. His brain registered the sound of the bat striking the leather ball. He barely had time to duck as the ball sailed towards his head. Still in a crouched position, Gibbs turned just as he heard the sound of glass breaking. Jagged shards were all that remained in the frame of Mrs. Elliott's dining room window.

As he straightened, he turned and faced Ziva. The young woman was standing with one hand clasped over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with shock.

"Oh, hell," was all he could say.

"Gibbs, I am so sorry. I just swung the bat like you showed me. I did not think it would go that far." Her nervous babbling reminded Jethro of one of Abby's tirades.

Jethro crossed the yard to where she was still standing and took the bat from her hand. "It was my fault, Ziver. I should have known better. Come on. Let's go make sure Mrs. Elliott is okay."

The two agents hopped the back fence. They had just landed when the elderly lady came out of her back door.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs! Have you lost your mind? I expect this kind of behavior from the children in the neighborhood. But, you are old enough to know better." Mrs. Elliott was waving the baseball in front of her as if she was contemplating throwing it at him.

Ziva hung back as Jethro approached the retired school librarian. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Elliott. It was an accident. I was teaching Ziva." As he neared the irate octogenarian he lowered his voice. "I didn't think she would be able to hit it."

"Humph. I expect you will fix my window. Won't you, Jethro?" She demanded.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll just go get a tape measure and be right back." Jethro answered.

"And, you, young lady." Mrs. Elliott turned her gaze to Ziva. "I expect you will clean all of that glass out of my dining room floor."

"Yes, Ma'am. I am very sorry. Please do not be angry at Gibbs. It was my fault." Ziva answered.

Mrs. Elliott oversaw the removal of the remaining glass and supervised Ziva's clean-up efforts. Jethro measured the window and left on a quick trip to the nearest glass shop. The older woman sat in one of her dining room chairs and watched Gibbs' newest agent.

Ziva was surprised when Mrs. Elliott finally spoke to her. "You've been good for that boy."

"Excuse me?" Ziva wasn't sure she heard correctly.

"You've been good for Jethro," Mrs. Elliott repeated. "He's been alone far too long. You've managed to draw him out of that shell he built around himself."

"He has been good for me too, Mrs. Elliott. Gibbs has taught me it is okay to have fun. I have taken myself far too seriously for far too long." Ziva was surprised by how comfortable it felt to talk with her elderly neighbor.

They continued to chat as Ziva swept and then mopped the floor. Ziva found out that the elderly woman's children all lived in other areas of the country. She had various clubs and activities to keep her busy. And, Ziva discovered that Mrs. Elliott was very active in her church.

"Maybe you would like to go to bingo with me some Tuesday night. We play in the Fellowship Hall." Mrs. Elliott extended an invitation.

"But, I am Jewish," Ziva explained.

"That won't matter during Bingo, Dear. We have people from many different faiths come for Bingo night. We even have several Jewish couples that play regularly. The money we raise goes to a shelter for battered women." Mrs. Elliott, like all of the elderly residents on the block, had taken an interest in their new neighbor.

Ziva's first instinct was to refuse. Then she reconsidered. It might be fun and she would meet new people.

"I have never played Bingo." Ziva admitted.

"You will sit with me and I will explain the game to you. You will catch on quickly." Mrs. Elliott assured her.

"Then, yes, I would like to go. The next Tuesday night we do not work late, I will call you." Ziva finished mopping as Jethro returned with the new glass.

Jethro made quick work of replacing the glass. He apologized for the incident again.

"Think nothing of it, Jethro. It gave me a chance to get acquainted with Ziva." Mrs. Elliott patted Ziva's hand. "Don't forget to call me Tuesday night, Dear. Maybe we could stop for dinner on the way."

Jethro and Ziva said their goodbyes to Mrs. Elliott. They left through the front door and crossed the lawn to where Jethro had parked his truck.

He began backing out of the drive before he spoke. "Where are you and Mrs. Elliott going Tuesday night?"

"She invited me to go for Bingo," she answered. Ziva looked up from fastening her seat belt as Jethro began to laugh.

"What is so funny, Gibbs?" she asked.

When he finally composed himself, Jethro replied, "You will be the youngest person there by forty years, Ziver. It's a group of senior citizens who get together to play."

"Oh." Ziva was momentarily at a loss for words. "Well, I told Mrs. Elliott I would go, so I will. She seems very lonely. And, perhaps I will have fun."

Jethro had circled the block and now pulled into his own drive. "Just don't take more money than you're willing to lose. And, don't be deceived. When it comes to their Bingo, those old folks are ruthless."

Ziva laughed as she swung down from the cab of the truck. "Gibbs, you sound like you are afraid of them."

"Not afraid. Just cautious." Jethro rounded the front of the truck and stood beside her. "Is DiNozzo coming over?"

"He said he would be by later." Ziva replied as she watched the Davis twins zip by on their skateboards.

"Don't even think about it, Ziver," Jethro warned her.

"What? I was just watching." Ziva tried to look innocent.

Jethro snorted, "Yeah, right." He slung an arm around her shoulders and steered her towards her own backyard. "Come on. Help me gather everything up."

As they walked between the two houses, Ziva put an arm around his waist. "Thank you for teaching me to play baseball. I am looking forward to the game. I will try not to embarrass you."

"You're welcome," Jethro told the young woman. "And, don't worry about it. You won't embarrass me…even if you do throw like a girl."

At Ziva's mock cry of indignation, Jethro took off running across the yard. His laughter echoed up and down the block as he tried to outrun and then outmaneuver Ziva's pursuit.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N** _Thank you to everyone who continues to read and hugs to everyone who has reviewed. The last chapter was extreme fluffiness. This one isn't. The story decided to take a serious turn and Ziva is a little OOC in this chapter. I do apologize for that. But, Eli is an evil piece of scum. His actions had to have more of an effect on her than we saw on the show. That's enough rambling from me. On with the chapter._

_**Disclaimer**__ I don't own them and I'm still not making any money from them. I do this for free as a labor of love._

Gibbs received the phone call just after 1800 hours. He was in his basement measuring boards for the picnic table. A baseball game playing on the small black and white television provided background noise. When the cell phone rang, Jethro was tempted to ignore it. That his team was on call was the only reason he dug the annoying gadget from under the junk on his workbench.

"Gibbs," he barked into the phone.

There were several seconds of silence followed by Ziva's paniced voice, "Gibbs can you please come over?"

Nothing could have gotten Jethro out of the house and across the lawns any quicker. He vaulted the fence and took her front steps two at a time. He ignored the pain in his knee. Jethro tried the knob and then pounded on the locked door.

"Ziva, it's me. Open up," he yelled.

Ziva threw open the door and then slammed and locked it as soon as Jethro was inside. The first thing he saw was the Sig in her hand. Next he saw that she was shaking and looked to be about to cry. Jethro took the gun from her and led her into the living room.

He sat beside her on the sofa and put an arm around her shoulders, "Ziva, tell me what's happened."

She clutched at the front of his shirt. "Eli."

Jethro felt his blood pressure immediately rise. "What has that bastard done?" His voice held that dangerously quiet, lethal tone Ziva had only heard a handful of times.

Ziva was still shaking, "He called me."

Jethro pulled her closer to his side. His first instinct was to find Eli David and put a bullet through his head. Considering the aftermath from Mexico, he figured that might not be the best course of action.

"Did he threaten you?" he asked.

"No," she whispered.

"What did he say?" Jethro felt Ziva's hold on his shirt tighten.

"He said he is in Washington for a meeting. He would like me to meet him for dinner tomorrow night." She looked at him with those huge brown eyes. "I cannot, Gibbs. I do not want to see him. He is most dangerous when he pretends to be concerned and caring. He is up to something or he would not have called me."

"Come on. Get some stuff together. You're staying at my place." Jethro helped her off the couch and steered her to the stairs. "I'll wait right here."

He watched as Ziva climbed the stairs before he stuck the pistol into the waist band of his jeans. It was Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs who pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed. He listened to the sounds of Ziva hastily packing as he waited for an answer.

"DiNozzo, my house now. Get a hold of McGee. Tell him to bring his laptop," Gibbs issued the terse command.

He could hear sounds of Tony grabbing his keys as he asked, "What's up, Boss?"

"Eli's in town," Gibbs continued to monitor the noise from the second floor.

"Rule 44, Boss?" Tony asked as he shut his front door.

"Yeah," Gibbs shut the phone as Ziva started down the stairs. She was obviously still upset. He vowed he would not allow Eli David within five miles of her.

Jethro took her bag and slung it over his left shoulder as he steered Ziva to the door. He waited while she locked up and then escorted her around to his drive. They were silent as he followed her up his front steps and into his living room.

It was only after he put her bag on the sofa that Jethro finally spoke. He opened his arms and said, "Come here." She plastered herself to him and hung on for dear life. Jethro could feel the tremors that still shook her petite frame. He held her and hoped she drew strength from knowing she wasn't alone.

"Ziva, you trust me?" Jethro asked.

"Of course, Gibbs," she answered into his shirt.

"Then believe me when I tell you, he won't get anywhere near you," Jethro kissed the top of her head. "Even if I have to find some place to stash you until he leaves, you won't have to see him if you don't want to."

Ziva loosened her hold enough to lean back and look at him. "He wants something or he would not have contacted me. He is very powerful. He will find a way to get to me."

"Like hell he will. I had to play nice when we were in Israel. He's on my turf now. And, there are a lot of very powerful people in this town who owe me and our team." His grin was just short of feral. "You leave Eli to me."

Ziva rubbed her nose on her sleeve and tried to smile. "I will do what you tell me to do, Gibbs."

She jumped when she heard a knock on the front door Gibbs had locked behind them. "It's just DiNozzo. I called him while you were upstairs," Jethro told her.

Still, he was holding Ziva's Sig as he unlocked and opened the door for Tony. The younger agent didn't stop until he was standing in front of Ziva.

"Are you all right?" Tony asked her.

"Yes…no," Ziva replied.

Taking her hand, Tony pulled her close and wrapped her in a hug. He was amazed by how small she felt when he held her like this. Gibbs gave them a minute before he interrupted.

"Where's McGee?" Jethro asked.

Tony turned to face Gibb but still kept one arm around Ziva. "He's on his way, Boss. He said he had to stop by the office and pick up something."

"Good. I'm making coffee," Jethro moved past the couple and into the kitchen. He was surprised when Tony and Ziva followed him. They stayed out of his way; but, they hovered close by while he brewed his usual noxious blend. When he poured them each a cup, Ziva wisely retrieved the milk from the refrigerator.

They were sitting at the dining table when McGee knocked on the front door. Jethro let him in and noticed that McGee was carrying only one bag. He placed the bag on the table. Then he surprised all of them when he squatted next to Ziva's chair.

"We aren't going to let anything happen to you, Ziva," he said.

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Tim."

When Gibbs and McGee took seats at the table, Gibbs started the conversation. "Ziva, tell us exactly what Eli said."

Ziva took a deep breath, "He said he is in Washington for a few days. He will return to Israel the day after tomorrow. He said he wants to meet me for dinner tomorrow night. I told him it might not be possible. I said we might have to work. He asked me to call him back."

"That's it?" McGee asked.

"Yes, that was all that was said. It was not what he said but how he said it. He is not accustomed to anyone standing up to him. I did that when I chose to remain here. He is angry about my decision," Ziva replied. She admitted, "I do not trust him. He is very manipulative and very vindictive."

"Ziva, I told you that you don't have to see him if you don't want to," Gibbs told her. "But, this ends here. I won't have you living the rest of your life worrying about what he's going to do next. We will put a stop to his intimidation and his meddling in your life."

"How?" she asked.

"We treat this like any case. McGee, computer. Find out everything you can about Eli David. DiNozzo, use your contacts. Get us anything you can. Ziva, help McGee. We need something we can use to stop him."

Tony and McGee shared a look. Gibbs saw when Tony nodded to McGee.

"Um, Boss, we already have something," McGee said.

"What, McGee?" Gibbs was puzzled. Apparently, Tony and McGee knew something he didn't.

"After…" McGee looked to Ziva and then back to Gibbs, "after Somalia, I started doing some digging. I thought we might need information on Eli. We made him look bad. I didn't trust him to leave Ziva or the rest of us alone."

Tony picked up the story. "McGee came to me and showed me what he had. I started helping him. We've been building a file on Eli ever since."

Jethro was silent for a moment as he stared at his two agents. These two never ceased to amaze him. But, he was also pissed.

"You've been hacking the director of a foreign agency. You didn't think this was something you should tell me about?" he growled.

"Boss.." McGee stammered.

Tony interrupted him, "Boss, we should have told you. But, you were dealing with your own problems. We decided it was best if we kept our mouths shut. We haven't been able to connect all the pieces until the past few weeks."

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Fine. We'll discuss the ass kicking you too deserve for not keeping me informed later. Show me what you've got."

McGee booted up his laptop and inserted a flash drive. He turned the computer so everyone could see the screen. A few taps and files started to open.

"I started by digging into Eli's finances. I found some hinkey transactions." McGee brought up the first document. "They were transfers from a Swiss account into a bank account in Eli's name here in Washington."

McGee closed the first document and brought up the next. "Then I traced the Swiss account. It's registered to a corporation that's based in Grand Cayman. Eli is the principle, and only, shareholder." The next document showed Eli's name on corporate documents. "It's a shell company."

"I managed to track the deposits into the Swiss account. All of the money went from Grand Cayman to the Swiss account." McGee paused. "This was where it got scary, Boss. This is when I showed everything to Tony."

"McGee worked his magic," Tony took over the story. "He has documents to prove that the money was transferred into the Grand Cayman account from some very unsavory people. McGee made a list of the depositors and what the money was for."

"Well?" Gibbs questioned at their pause.

McGee tapped a few keys and a final document appeared on the screen. Gibbs put on his glasses and studied the list of names, items, and amounts. He scrolled through several pages and then sat back. Gibbs removed his glasses and stared at the computer. When he glanced at McGee, Jethro could see that the younger man's hands were shaking as he raised his coffee cup to his lips.

"Why would Eli sell weapons to terrorists?" Gibbs asked no one in particular. He was honestly stunned by what his agents had uncovered.

"The money," was Tony's answer.

Ziva finally spoke. "It is not just the money. The politicians try to maintain the illusion that they pursue peace through diplomacy. Eli feels that peace can only be achieved through military action. If any of those groups were to attack Israel, Eli would have justification for swift, decisive action."

"He would do that?" McGee asked. "Think of all of the innocent people who would die on both sides."

"He would do that and more, McGee," Ziva answered. "Eli was willing to have his own children killed to further his agenda. He would not worry about the deaths of other people's children."

The agents were silent as they pondered the ramifications of the information they possessed. The documents on McGee's computer could bring down one of the most powerful men on the planet. They could start an international incident that could destroy diplomatic relations between numerous countries. The documents could also get the four agents sitting around the table killed.

Gibbs rose from the table. "McGee, do you have copies of all this?"

"Yes, Boss. I made copies and stashed them in safe places." He indicated the flash drive in his laptop. "This one was in your desk drawer at work."

At Jethro's shocked looked, Tony explained, "No one would think to look for anything important on a flash drive in your desk, Boss."

Tony yelped when the hand connected with the back of his head. "McGee, can any of this be traced back to you?"

"No, Boss. I covered my tracks," McGee replied.

"Are you certain?" Jethro questioned. He didn't want this to come back to bite them in the ass.

McGee tried not to look smug. "I'm sure, Boss. I found a backdoor to the CIA's server years ago. I have a ghost account on their network. I've been using that for the research. Once I found out how serious this stuff was, I got this laptop. The user account is registered to a Confederate soldier who died at Gettysburg. I've use wi-fi connections at cyber cafes."

"Let me get this straight. Anyone looking at this stuff will think it came from the CIA?" Gibbs' ignorance of computers was legendary. But, he understood enough to know the stakes had just gotten higher. Their information would implicate the CIA of spying on an ally of the United States.

Gibbs shook his head in amazement. His cyber-geek could possibly be the most dangerous employee of the federal government. He was certainly in the top five and he was barely in his thirties.

"McGee, when this is over, we're going to have a long talk," Jethro told the younger man.

"Got it, Boss," McGee replied.

Jethro stood from the table. "McGee, make sure there's no forensic evidence on that doo-dad. Ziva I need to see you in the basement."

Ziva followed Gibbs down the stairs. At the bottom, she took up a position against the workbench. Standing with her arms folded across her middle, Ziva waited on whatever Gibbs had to say. Jethro took in her defensive posture and knew this would be difficult.

"Ziva, you know I can't just ignore what they showed us. This has gone way beyond trying to protect you from Eli," Jethro said quietly.

"I know, Gibbs. He must be stopped," Ziva replied.

"Ziver, he will be tried for treason. He's still your father. I don't want you to hate me for being the one to turn him in." Jethro was afraid this would destroy the bond between them. Scaring Eli off was one thing. Branding the man a traitor was entirely different.

Ziva's response was swift and vehement. "He is not my father. He is a monster who brings only death and destruction. He must pay for what he has done." She swiped at the tear running down her cheeks. "I promised to trust you. Do what you must with the information."

Jethro drew her away from the workbench and into a hug. "I'm sorry, Ziva. I wish I didn't have to be the one to do this."

Ziva returned the hug. "I know, Gibbs. Just promise me that you will be careful."

"I will be." Jethro drew back and looked at her. "Now, go wait upstairs. I have to make a few phone calls."

Ziva stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked back at Jethro. "I love you, Dad," she said quietly.

He gave her a ghost of a smile. "I love you, too, Ziver."

Twenty minutes later, Gibbs returned to his kitchen. His three agents were sitting silently around the table. Ziva was staring into space. McGee was doodling on a piece of paper. Tony was picking at a granola bar.

"McGee, where's that memory doo-dad?" When McGee pointed to the item that was now wrapped in a paper napkin, Gibbs slid it into his pocket.

"I want the three of you to stay here. Don't leave the house until I get back," Jethro instructed.

"Boss, we don't have any reason to think Eli will come after us," Tony protested.

"DiNozzo, Eli's already contacted Ziva once. We aren't taking any chances. I have a buddy who's a retired Seal. He runs his own security company now. I gave him a call. Nobody's going to get in here tonight," Jethro explained.

"Boss, shouldn't one of us come with you?" McGee asked.

"I appreciate the offer, McGee. But, I'm just going to pay a visit to an old friend. If anyone ever asks, you three came over to play poker. I got a call and had to go out for a while. Understand?" When he received nods from each of them, Jethro placed a hand on Ziva's shoulder.

"You three watch each others' backs tonight. McGee, you make sure nothing can be retrieved from that hard drive." They watched as Gibbs left through the front door without a backwards glance.

It was McGee who broke the uneasy silence. "What do we do now?"

"You destroy that computer, McGee. Then we play poker." Tony responded.

"Tony…" Ziva started to protest when DiNozzo cut her off.

"Ziva, there's nothing we can do now but wait. Gibbs gave us our cover story. We better make it look convincing in case we have unexpected guests," Tony told her.

McGee picked up the laptop. "Who do you think might come for us?"

"Oh, gee, Probie. I don't know. How about the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, SecNav? Take your pick. We're spying without a license, McGee. The government tends to take a dim view of such activities." Tony's tone was sarcastic but Ziva could see that he was worried.

"McGee, you should take the computer to the basement. You will have more privacy there," Ziva suggested.

She waited until McGee disappeared through the basement door. Then Ziva looked at Tony. He was staring into his empty coffee cup.

"Why did you not tell me about what you had discovered?" Ziva asked him.

"Because, Zi, I've been scared to death ever since McGee showed me those first files. I had hoped you would never find about any of this." Tony continued to focus on the ceramic mug.

"Why, Tony?" She continued to push.

He finally looked at her. "Because, Ziva, I didn't want you in the prison cell next to me and McGee."

"Why did you not tell Gibbs?" Tony had known she wouldn't leave this alone.

"Same reason." Tony took a deep breath and sat the cup down. "McGee and I talked over the weekend. We had finally connected all of the documents. We were trying to figure out how to use the information without implicating any of us. We wanted to keep you and Gibbs out of this."

"We are partners. I thought you trusted me, Tony. And, I certainly did not think you would ever keep something like this from Gibbs." Ziva couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice.

Tony took her hand. "I do trust you. I love you, Zi. That's why I couldn't tell you. I knew this information would hurt you. And, you've been through enough." He paused and squeezed her hand. "Ziva, we both know what's going to happen to Eli. I didn't want you or Gibbs to have to make that decision."

Ziva held on to Tony's hand. "I still do not understand why you felt it was necessary to protect Gibbs."

"Because I owe him everything." Tony weighed his next words and decided to tell her the truth. "If it wasn't for Gibbs, I would probably be coaching high school football in some hick town. When I met Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I was ready to give up on a career in law enforcement. He's the first person who ever believed in me, Ziva. He was the first person who ever cared about me.

"I told you once that you weren't the only person who needed a dad, Zi. That's how I think of him. That's why I didn't want Gibbs to be the person responsible for taking Eli down. I didn't want that to come between you and Gibbs."

When Ziva was silent for several minutes, Tony asked, "Are you mad at me?"

She shook her head. "No, Tony. I am not mad. I should be, but I am not. I understand why you felt you had to protect us. But, it was not necessary. Nothing will ever change how I feel about Gibbs."

Tony had just leaned forward to kiss her when he heard McGee's footsteps on the stairs. "He has lousy timing," Tony joked as he sat back in his chair and released her hand.

Gibbs returned home just before 0500. He relocked the front door and stopped in the living room. Tony and Ziva were together on the sofa. Ziva was asleep with her head in Tony's lap. McGee was snoring softly in Gibbs' chair. DiNozzo was watching over both of them. The remains of their poker game were still on the dining table.

As soon as he saw Gibbs, Tony carefully maneuvered out from under Ziva. He stood and slid his Sig into its holster. "Boss, are you okay?"

Jethro rubbed a hand over his face. "Yeah, DiNozzo. I'm fine." He moved into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. When he returned to the living room, McGee and Ziva were awake.

Tony asked what they all wanted to know. "What happened?"

Jethro hugged Ziva before he answered. "Eli was found dead in his hotel room early this morning. Apparently he had a heart attack."

"Mossad?" McGee asked quietly.

"Probably. Your information was delivered to the Prime Minister around midnight. There was no way this could be allowed to come out in the open in a trial." Gibbs pulled out a dining room chair and sat.

Tony sat opposite Gibbs. "How much trouble are we in?"

Jethro shook his head. "We're not. Only one person knows we were involved. And, he's not going to talk. The FBI is taking the credit. Since the investigation started with a bank account here in Washington, they have jurisdiction. The CIA is too embarrassed they got hacked to raise a stink. The Israelis' are just grateful they had a chance to cover up the whole mess. Everyone just wants it to go away quietly."

"How many favors did you have to use to keep us out of it?" Tony asked.

Jethro shrugged. "A few. And, now I owe a few more. Vance already knows we're taking the day off. Go home and get some sleep. And, McGee, I suggest you stay out of that back door. The CIA will be monitoring their networks."

"Got it, Boss," McGee replied. He stopped in front of Ziva. "I am sorry."

She nodded. "You do not have to apologize, Tim. It was not your fault. He brought this on himself."

Once McGee left, Jethro went to the kitchen for coffee. That left Tony and Ziva alone in the living room. Tony walked to where Ziva stood and took her hand.

"Ziva.." Before Tony could speak, Ziva put a hand over his mouth.

"Tony, I meant what I said to McGee. You and Tim are not to blame. Eli did this to himself." Ziva moved her hand and kissed him. "I still think you should tell Gibbs what you told me. He deserves to know."

Tony kissed her back before he answered. "He already knows, Ziva. But, maybe I will talk to him. Whatever he did last night, he saved our lives and kept us out of prison. I owe him for that. I also owe him for letting me get away with this." Tony pulled Ziva closer and kissed her again.

The quietly growled, "DiNozzo, go home," was what finally ended the embrace.

"On it, Boss." Tony replied with a smile for Ziva. "I'll be back later. If you need me, call."

When Tony left, Jethro placed his coffee cup on the table and faced Ziva. "Talk," was all he said.

Ziva paced the length of the living room and returned to stand in front of him. "There is nothing left to say. My home and my family are here now. I did not wish him dead. But, does it make me a horrible person if I admit I am relieved?"

Jethro studied her before he answered. "No, you aren't a horrible person. I would say it's understandable that you feel that way. Just don't forget, I'm here if you need to talk. You want to stay here and get some sleep?"

Ziva nodded and then hugged him. "Thank you."

"For what?" Jethro asked.

"For just being you. I could not have survived everything that has happened without you," Ziva told him.

Despite his exhaustion, Jethro managed a small smile. "You're stronger than you think, Ziver."

"Maybe." She paused. "But, I am still glad I have you to teach me how to be part of a normal family."

Jethro snorted as he guided her towards the stairs. "You think we're normal?"

"Maybe not," Ziva admitted. "Normal is overrated anyway."

Jethro waited until the door to the spare bedroom closed before he allowed himself to slump in exhaustion. The events of the night had taken their toll on him. His younger agents would never know the price he had paid to keep them out of trouble. As he collapsed, still dressed, on his bed, he admitted he would do it all again. His last thought before sleep claimed him was that his little girl was finally safe.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N **_Thanks to everyone who is still reading and reviewing. Now back to our regularly scheduled fluff._

**Disclaimer**_ Gibbs and the team are not mine and I'm not making any money off of them._

Ziva dug her feet into the dirt. She raised the bat to her shoulder and then took a couple of practice swings. She leaned forward, took her stance and then turned her attention to the FBI agent on the pitcher's mound.

The screams and yells of encouragement from the NCIS fans were nearly deafening. Everyone was ecstatic at the almost certain outcome. Ziva tried to block them out.

She still heard the voice from second base yell, "Come on, David! Knock the snot out of it.!"

She heard the deeper voice from third call, "You can do this, Ziver! Bring me home!"

Ziva focused on the pitcher. She had studied him throughout the entire game. She had watched every pitch with the eye of a trained interrogator. And, as he stepped up to the plate and took his stance, she saw the tell she anticipated. The subtle flick of the wrist signaled a fast ball.

Ziva swung with the control and power honed from years as a highly trained warrior. The connection of the bat with the leather sounded as loud as a gunshot. She took a few, brief seconds to watch the ball as it sailed over the heads of the other players and then arched over the outfield fence.

As she dropped the bat and trotted to first base, the screams from the crowd had reached a fever pitch. She touched each base and headed to home plate at an easy gate. The first hug was from Tony. If he held on a little longer than necessary, no one thought anything of it. Next was the hug from Jethro. If Ziva held on a little longer than necessary, everyone chalked it up to the emotions from the game.

The crowd had cleared the stands and was now gathered around the players. Congratulatory hugs and handshakes were shared with everyone. The game was, for all intents and purposes, over. In the bottom of the ninth inning, NCIS team had defeated the FBI seven to three. Ziva accepted the MVP trophy from Jethro and he had never seen her smile quite so big.

As the crowd began to scatter, Jethro walked over to Fornell. "Told you she's good," he said as he held out a hand.

Fornell shook Jethro's hand and pretended to scowl. "I can't believe we were beat by a girl."

Jethro laughed, "I dare you to tell her that."

"No, Jethro, I think I want to live." Tobias studied Jethro for a few seconds. His friend looked happier than he had ever seen. "Go celebrate with your team, Jethro. We'll get you next time."

"In your dreams, Tobias." Jethro walked back to the remaining cluster of players and fans.

Jethro slung one arm around Ziva's shoulders and wrapped the other around Liz's waist. The crowd turned at his ear-splitting whistle. "Cookout. Ziva's house," he yelled.

As everyone started to the parking lot, Ziva looked up at Jethro. "My house, Gibbs? Why my house?"

"What? You think I want all these people hanging out at my house?" Jethro steered the ladies to the parking lot

Cars filled both driveways and lined the street. As it turned out, both back yards were put to use. Jethro grilled the burgers on his grill. Food was spread out on Ziva's new picnic table. The older people in the crowd gravitated to Jethro's yard. The younger people and the children were in Ziva's yard. The noise from both yards was loud and rowdy. Jethro smiled as he heard Ziva's laughter ring out over the din.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Tony closed the dish washer and snagged Ziva as she moved past him. He drew her into a hug and kissed her. The last of the partiers had finally departed and they were now alone.

"You were amazing today." He pushed an unruly lock of hair behind her ear.

"I know." Ziva gave Tony a cheeky grin.

"I was talking about the way you look in that uniform, Sweet Cheeks." Tony grinned back.

"You do not look so bad in yours, my Hairy Butt." Ziva would always give as good as she got.

One kiss lead to another and then another. Tony had his hands buried in those beautiful curls he loved so much. Ziva was holding on to that amazing butt she of which she was so fond. Lack of oxygen finally caused them to break apart.

"Ziva…" Tony gasped.

"Shut up, Tony." She tightened her hold. "If you stop now, I will shot you." Ziva growled.

"I was going to say that unless you want this to happen on the kitchen table, we should probably move to your bedroom." Tony's breathing was still ragged.

Ziva smiled. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I will lock the doors. You turn off the lights."

"Walking would be easier if you turned loose of my ass, Ziva." Tony tried to sound serious but the sparkle in his moss green eyes gave him away.

They rushed through the house locking up and turning off lights. They giggled as they raced one another up the stairs. Tony stopped inside her bedroom door. Ziva turned to face him. He wanted this. He had no intention of stopping. But, Tony was suddenly nervous.

Ziva walked back to where he stood. "Tony, do not over think this. If I was not ready, you would not be here."

Tony placed gentle kisses on her cheek and then that irresistible spot just below her ear. "Just remember. You're in control, Ziva," he whispered.

"Then shut up and let me have my way with you," she whispered back just before she kissed him.

More kisses lead to touches and moans of appreciation. Clothing was discarded as each new bit of uncharted territory was explored. The first time was about discovery and building trust. The second, just after midnight, was an explosion of raw, unbridled passion. The third, just before dawn, was slow and achingly sweet and more intimate than either had ever experienced.

Sunlight streaming though the open blinds fell across Tony's still closed eyelids. He felt the dip of the mattress as Ziva slid back into bed. She snuggled next to him and draped a leg across his. He smiled as she ran her fingers though the hair on his chest.

He played with one of the curls that spilled like a waterfall across his arm. "Morning, Ziva."

She placed a kiss on his shoulder. "Good morning, Tony."

"Yes, it certainly is," he replied. Ziva could hear the laughter in Tony's voice. She had known there would be no awkwardness between them this morning. They had indulged in five years of foreplay. They had both been ready for this next step.

Tony suddenly groaned. "Gibbs is going to kill me."

"No, he is not, Tony." She continued to stroke his chest idly.

"Yes, he is. My car spent the night in his driveway." Tony explained.

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "And, Liz's car is still in my drive." Ziva peeked at Tony who had a goofy smile on his face. "I do not think they spent the night playing checkers, Tony."

Tony laughed and rolled so that he had Ziva pinned beneath him. "I wouldn't mind playing another game of checkers with you, Agent David."

She ran a foot up the back of his leg. "If you think someone of your advanced age is up for it, Agent DiNozzo."

This time his grin was positively wicked. "Oh, I'm definitely up for it, ZeeVah." She giggled as he proceeded to demonstrated just how resilient a man of his age could be. Her last coherent thought was that, that definitely was not his knee.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N** _This is a very, very short chapter. Work hasn't left me any time for writing this week. Maybe someday I'll win the lottery and be able to stay home and write full time. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing. _

**Disclaimer** _No, NCIS doesn't belong to me and I'm still not making any money off of this story._

Ziva stretched out on the chase lounge in her backyard. She laid her book on the grass and closed her eyes. The late summer sun warmed her skin and she relaxed into the soft cushion. A gentle breeze kept her from growing too hot. It wasn't long before she was lulled into a deep sleep.

The sound of the yappy little dog next door brought Ziva to a stated of semi-wakefulness. It was the soft "Hey," that had her opening her eyes.

"Good morning, Gibbs." Ziva smiled as she sat up.

"More like good afternoon, Ziver," Jethro replied as he took a seat in one of her lawn chairs. He picked up the cover-up she had discarded and tossed to her. "Put that on."

"Why? This is a perfectly nice bathing suit," she protested.

"It's a couple of Kleenex held together with dental floss," Jethro growled.

"It is the latest fashion in Europe. Everyone wears them," Ziva complained as she drew the cover-up over her head.

"Yeah, well, we aren't in Europe. And, there are some things I would prefer not to see." Jethro knew how old fashioned he sounded. He didn't care. Seeing his daughter in what passed for a bikini these days was something he could live without.

"Do we have a case?" Ziva sat cross legged tried to shake off disorientation left by her nap.

"No. Just thought I would come over and see what you have planned for this evening." Jethro picked up her book and read the title.

"I have nothing planned. Why?" Ziva was curious. Jethro now seemed uncertain and hesitant.

Jethro laid the book back down. "Thought you might want to go out to dinner."

Ziva began to understand. "Who will be there, Gibbs?"

"Liz. You. Me." Jethro paused. "You can bring DiNozzo if you want."

"I will call and see if he is free." Ziva smiled. "I would like to spend more time with Liz. She seems very nice."

"She is." Jethro sat forward and studied the ground for a several seconds. He finally looked at Ziva. "Liz is what she seems to be, Ziver. She doesn't have some hidden agenda. She likes me for who I am, not who she thinks she can turn me into."

"And, she makes you happy." It was a statement, not a question.

Jethro answered anyway. "Yeah, she does."

Ziva was surprised to see that her hard-as-nails dad almost looked sheepish as he made the admission. She smiled at his lopsided grin. Happiness looked good on him. Ziva thought Jethro was absolutely adorable as he sat there blushing faintly.

"Then I am happy for you. It is about time you found someone who recognizes what a wonderful person you are." Ziva couldn't suppress a giggle. "Of course, it does not hurt that she thinks you are a hunk."

Jethro snorted and rolled his eyes. "You're delusional, Ziver."

Tony picked Ziva up and they met Gibbs and Liz at the DiCarlos. It was a quiet, upscale Italian restaurant that Jethro had taken Ziva to for her birthday. The hostess quickly had the two couples seated at a table.

Ziva and Liz talked about the school year that had just started and the demands of Liz's job as a principal. They compared the differences between education in America and in Israel. Everyone at the table was shocked when Ziva admitted she had long ago thought she would like to be a teacher.

"What?" she demanded as Jethro and Tony stared at her as if she had just admitted she was from another planet.

"It's just…" Jethro fumbled to a stop unable to tactfully say what he was thinking.

Tony wasn't as diplomatic. "You don't even like children, Ziva."

"Who says I do not like children?" she demanded. "I like children. I just have not had much opportunity to spend time with any."

Liz quickly diffused the tension. "Then you could help me out. If you are willing, that is."

Ziva turned her attention to Liz and effectively shut out the men. "What could I help you with?"

Liz took a sip of her wine and thought about her latest project. "My school isn't in the best part of the city. It's a pretty rough neighborhood. I would like to offer self defense courses to the older girls. I've been thinking about it for a while. Ziva, you would be the perfect person to teach the classes. We could hold them in the evenings in the school gym."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Every young woman should know how to defend herself. We could even invite the mothers and older sisters to attend." Ziva's face lit up and she became more animated as she and Liz discussed the project.

Jethro and Tony shared a look that spoke volumes. Both men knew they had just dodged a bullet. An angry Ziva David was dangerous. An offended Ziva David was lethal.

Conversation flowed as the meal continued. They discussed the self defense classes, the baseball game, and a movie that, miraculously, even Jethro had seen. Ziva and Liz listened and laughed as the men debated the merits of Gibbs' antique Charger versus DiNozzo's latest classic Mustang.

Ziva leaned back in her chair and smiled as the conversation swirled around her. A year ago, Ziva would never have dreamed that she would be in such a place in her life. She was finally content and at peace.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N **_For everyone who was expecting the self defense classes in this chapter, I'm sorry to disappoint you. That was the plan. Then, I read a review from Abstractartist and this chapter was born. It wouldn't leave me alone until I posted it. Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews. They help more than I can say. _

**Disclaimer **_I don't own NCIS and I'm still not making any money off of them._

Tony pulled his classic Mustang into the drive behind the yellow, antique Charger and shut off the engine. He removed the keys from the ignition and continued to sit there. Tony stared at Gibbs front door and knew he had to do this. The upcoming confrontation was long over-due.

The past week at work had been a living hell. Gibbs had been angry with his senior agent and it had showed. Tony had received more head slaps this past week than he had in the entire previous year. The usually teasing comments had held a more sarcastic, biting edge than Tony ever remembered hearing. The tension in the bullpen had gotten to the point where McGee had even started trying to deflect some of Gibbs' anger onto himself and away from Tony.

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo had reached his limit that afternoon when Gibbs had told him to get his head out of his ass and do his job or he would find someone who would. Tony had grabbed his gun, badge, and backpack and left a stunned McGee and Ziva staring after him.

Tony had driven around aimlessly and tried to calm down. He knew Gibbs was upset about the relationship between Ziva and himself. Tony had spent two nights the previous week at Ziva's house. Ziva had spent most of the weekend at Tony's apartment. And, Leroy Jethro Gibbs was pissed.

Tony climbed out of the car and shut the door. He knew Ziva would have noticed his arrival. He only hoped she stayed out of it. This was between Gibbs and him. Tony let himself in the front door and crossed through the living room and kitchen. At the basement door, Tony stopped and took a deep breath. Either they would clear this up or Gibbs would hand him his head on a platter. Either way, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was through taking his boss's crap.

As Tony descended the stairs, he could see Gibbs bent over his work bench sketching plans for a new project. Tony reached the bottom and propped a hip on a sawhorse. Even though Gibbs had to be aware of Tony's presence, he never looked up from the drawing.

"Can we talk?" Tony asked quietly.

Gibbs laid the pencil down and pulled off his glasses. He turned on his stool to face Tony and the younger man could tell from his expression that Gibbs was still angry. Gibbs looked at Tony for several seconds.

"Well?" Gibbs finally growled.

"What have I done?" Tony hoped he didn't sound as pitiful as he felt.

"DiNozzo, just go home." Gibbs started to turn back to the workbench.

That casual dismissal was all it took to push Tony past the breaking point. He stood from the sawhorse and faced Gibbs. He could feel his face flush with anger.

"No. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what I did to piss you off. You've treated me like crap all week and I'm sick of it. I want some answers." Tony could feel his hands shaking.

Gibbs had picked up the pencil. He threw it back down and stood up. He faced Tony and took a single step towards his agent.

"You want to know? I'll tell you." The vivid blue eyes glittered with a dangerous light. "I told you to keep your relationship with Ziva out of the office. This week you've made one rookie mistake after another. You've been useless at finding information I've asked for. You nearly got McGee shot on a simple witness pickup. And, it's all because you can't keep your eyes or your hands off of your partner."

Tony refused to back down. "I'm not the computer geek on the team. It took me longer to go through the financial records than it would have McGee. But, I still found the information. And, McGee is the one who didn't wait for me to get there before he went up to the door. I can't have his six if he decides to go all lone-wolf on me, now can I? Maybe that's one lesson you shouldn't have taught him so well. And, I haven't touched Ziva once while we were at work."

"Oh, yeah?" Gibbs took another step. "Well, you should have made sure the cameras were off in the interrogation room before you decided to kiss her."

"She had just finished interrogating a serial rapist, Gibbs. I kissed her on the cheek and told her she did a good job. I've seen you do the same thing with Abby hundreds of times." Tony took a deep breath. "This has all been about Ziva and me, not the way I'm doing my job. Admit it. You're pissed about us and taking it out on me."

Gibbs nearly shouted. "You want me to admit it. Yeah, DiNozzo. You're right. I'm pissed."

"We've done as you asked. We've kept it out of the office. We haven't let it interfere with our jobs. We've taken things slowly." Only a few feet separated the irate agents. "Why are you so mad at me?"

"Because that's my daughter you're sleeping with," Jethro yelled.

"And, I thought I was your son." The silence left in the wake of Tony's pronouncement was deafening.

Tony moved back to the sawhorse and sat. He ran shaking hands through his hair. Jethro still hadn't moved.

Tony looked at the scuffed concrete floor. "Why her, Boss? Why is she more important than me?" He finally looked to the one man he respected. "She's a trained assassin. She could kill me a thousand different ways. If this ends badly, I could be just as hurt as she could. Why aren't you worried about me?"

Jethro moved back to the stool and sat. "Ah, Hell, Tony." He had no idea how to say what needed to be said.

"The night Eli called, Ziva and I talked. She told me I needed to talk to you. I told her you already knew how I felt. Apparently, I was wrong. Or, do you just not care?" Tony knew he had gone way past pitiful.

When Jethro remained silent, Tony stood. "You've made it clear you think I'm a philandering playboy who only wants one thing from women. Apparently, you think I'm a loser as an agent, too." He started towards the stairs. "You'll have my resignation letter first thing in the morning."

"Tony." When he didn't stop, Jethro tried again with more force. "DiNozzo!"

Tony stopped on the stairs but didn't turn around. He refused to let Gibbs see him cry. At this point he didn't have much pride left; but, he wouldn't give Gibbs the satisfaction.

"I don't worry about you because I didn't think I had to," Jethro admitted. "And, Ziva isn't more important to me than you are."

"Could have fooled me." Despite Tony's efforts, Jethro still heard the sniffle.

Jethro sighed. "Tony, Ziva wasn't in Somalia because you killed Rivkin. She was there because of me. I'm the one who left her in Israel. I left her there because I had to make a choice. It was either you or her. I chose you."

Tony turned and held onto the railing. Now his hands were shaking with shock. Never could he have imagined his boss's confession.

"Why?" Tony asked hoarsely. "Why me? Why not her?"

Jethro knew he had to answer honestly. "Because, she forced me to choose. Ziva was angry, hurt, scared, confused. She didn't know who to trust. Eli was messing with her head. Probably forcing her to choose between us or him. On the tarmac, Ziva gave me an ultimatum. It was either you or her. One of you had to leave the team. I wasn't going to let her manipulate me like that. She wouldn't have come back and worked with another team. And, I wasn't going to lose you."

Tony turned and sunk down sit on one of the wooden steps. His elbows were braced on his thighs and this hand hung loosely between his knees. The fight had gone out of the younger agent. Jethro watched as Tony seemed to fold in on himself.

Jethro sighed again and shook his head. He had hoped they had finally managed to get past the years when Tony needed reassurance. Apparently not.

"Tony." When DiNozzo looked at him, Jethro continued. "You were right. You are my son. You know I'm not good at this." He waved a hand back and forth between them. "But, you are as important to me as Ziva. Never doubt that. My reaction to you and Ziva has nothing to do the fact that it's you. I would have this reaction to anyone she chose to be with. I would be ready to rip the head off of any guy who thought he had the right to sleep with my little girl."

As Tony continued to listen, Jethro snorted in self derision. "Truth is I'm the one who couldn't keep your relationship out of work. Rule 51…Sometimes you're wrong. And, this time I was definitely wrong. Guess I've been a hypocrite. It's been okay for me and Liz to spend the night together; but not you two. For that, I am sorry."

"If I keep seeing Ziva, are you going to keep giving me crap?" Tony asked quietly.

"Maybe." Jethro managed a small smile. "I'll try not to. That's the best I can promise, Tony. Most dads get years to prepare for this. I was thrown into the role with two kids who were already adults. I'll try to keep that in mind. And, if I'm a little overprotective of Ziva, you're gonna have to deal with it. I made a promise to take care of her and to be the exact opposite of Eli. That isn't going to change."

Tony stood and moved back down the stairs. He crossed the basement and stood in front of Jethro. There was one more thing he had to know.

Tony stood with his hands in his pockets. "This week, it felt like you were choosing her over me. It hurt. A lot. I know you've told Ziva. Right now, I think I deserve to hear it, too."

Jethro knew what Tony was talking about. "You aren't going to make this easy are you?"

"No." Tony tried not to smile.

"I apologized. Isn't that good enough?" There was some of the old sparkle back in those blue eyes.

"Nope." Tony wasn't leaving until Jethro said it.

"Fine." Jethro knew Tony was as stubborn as he was. "I love you, Tony. Now, go away. Go annoy your girlfriend. I've got a hot tub to design."

Tony smiled and headed back to the stairs. Halfway up, he stopped and leaned over the rail.

"Gibbs?" When Jethro looked up, Tony grinned. "I love you, too, Dad."

He jogged the rest of the way up the stairs. As he passed through the door, Tony heard Jethro mutter, "They're both brats."

Tony moved his car to Ziva's drive and parked behind her Mini Cooper. Apparently, she had been waiting on him. Ziva opened the door as soon as he reached the front porch.

"Hey," he greeted Ziva before he kissed her.

She held on to the front of Tony's shirt and studied him. "Are you all right?"

"I am now." Tony moved her back into the house and pushed the door shut with his foot.

"Did you get everything sorted out?" Ziva had been worried about the two men in her life all afternoon.

"Yeah, I think so." Tony kissed her again.

"You are not going to tell me what he said, are you?" Ziva wanted answers.

"No, I'm not. It's between him and me." Tony tried again to distract her with the most effective method he had at his disposal.

"Tony…" Ziva tried to dodge his advances.

"Zee-vah," Tony cut her off. "Don't push. I promise we're okay. Now, can we leave it at that?"

"Yes, for now." Ziva wrapped her arms around his neck. "If you do not wish to talk, what do you suggest we do?"

Tony was about to answer when they were startled apart by a knock at the door. Ziva opened the door to find Gibbs standing on the other side. His Sig and his badge were clipped to his belt.

"Come on. We got a case. Dead Lieutenant on the steps of the Lincoln memorial." Gibbs started back down the steps. Tony ran to his car and grabbed his stuff. Ziva quickly gathered her gun, badge and back pack. She shut and locked her front door and joined the men in her drive.

Gibbs held out his hand. "DiNozzo, give me your keys." When Tony dropped them in his hand, Jethro threw them to Ziva. "David, head to the Navy Yard and pick up the truck. DiNozzo, you're with me."

As they headed to Jethro's car, Ziva slid behind the wheel Tony's precious Mustang. Before she shut the door, she could hear Tony complain, "But, Boss, I could have moved my car."

As she turned the key and listened to the powerful engine, Ziva smiled. Jethro was right. They were not a normal family. But, they certainly weren't boring either.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N **_I'm sorry it's been so long since the last update. This chapter didn't want to cooperate. I hope it was worth the wait. I tend to be my biggest critic, so I'll leave the reviews up to the readers. Thanks to everyone who is still reading and reviewing._

**Disclaimer **_I don't own NCS and I'm still not making any money from this._

Jethro opened the door to the elementary school gym and let Ziva enter ahead of him. He followed her to the front of the gym where Liz was waiting on them. Gymnastics mats had been laid out on the hardwood floor and chairs were arranged in a semi-circle in front of the mats. A small crowd of elementary age students accompanied by older women had already gathered.

"Ziva, I'm so glad you were able to get away from work early." Liz greeted Ziva with a friendly hug. "I was afraid your boss wouldn't let you leave. I know what a slave driver he can be."

Jethro rolled his eyes as Ziva laughed. "I think he was hoping to score points with the principal. He rushed me out of the bull pen at 5:00," Ziva whispered loudly enough for Jethro to hear.

"If you two are finished, can we get started?" Jethro tried to look annoyed. The sparkle in his blue eyes ruined the effect.

Liz and Ziva had agreed before hand to limit each class to twenty participants. They both left that number would be most effective. Ziva would be able to spend individual time with each student during the two hour session. As the two final students and their mothers entered the gym, Liz counted heads.

"Everyone is here. I think we should get started now." Liz told Ziva. She and Ziva faced the crowd as Jethro moved to the side and sat in an empty chair.

"Good evening." Liz greeted the eager girls and their companions. "For those of you I haven't met, I am Principal Dixon. I would like to thank all of you for coming here tonight. I think I am as excited about this class as all of you are. We hope this will be the first of many such classes. I am very happy we can provide such an important outreach to the community."

Liz took a step to the side and smiled at Ziva before she continued. "I would like to introduce our instructor for tonight's class. This is Special Agent Ziva David. She is an agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. As a member of the NCIS Major Crimes Response Team, Agent David investigates crimes involving Marines and Naval personnel. I've been told that only the most highly qualified agents are allowed to become members of that elite team. Please welcome Special Agent David."

As the class applauded, Liz took her seat next to Jethro. Ziva faced the students and smiled. She relied on her Mossad training and her years of working with Gibbs to hide a sudden attack of nerves.

"Thank you, Ms. Dixon." Ziva tried to project confidence. "I would also like to thank you for coming here tonight." Ziva hesitated as she saw Tony slip in the back door and lean against the wall. He held up the pieces to a protective suit he had borrowed from a friend on the Metro PD.

She returned her attention to the class and handed a stack of papers to the woman at the end of the row of folding chairs. "Please take one and pass these down the row."

As the ladies each took one of the sheets of paper, Ziva continued. "We will begin the class by discussing some basic rules of personal safety. The first rule is 'Never walk anywhere alone.' Think about life in the jungle. Lions hunt gazelles. The lions will attack the gazelle that they think will be the easiest to take down. They will target the gazelle that is separated from the herd. You must be smart gazelles. Always remember, there is safety in numbers."

Several of the older women nodded as Ziva continued. "The second rule is 'Always make sure someone knows where you are, who you are with and when you will be home.' It is very important that your family knows where to find you and who to contact if you do not come home when you should. Your family should also know when to expect you to arrive home. You must look out for one another. You know your family members routines. If someone does not arrive home when they should, you must not hesitate to call the police for assistance. When we investigate crimes, time is always our enemy."

Ziva move closer to the ladies. "The third rule is 'Always be aware of your surroundings.' Remember, you must be smart gazelles. That means you must not allow yourself to be distracted. You must know where you are. You must notice things like suspicious people and safe places you could go for help. What are some things that could distract you?"

The young girls called out different things such as cell phones, iPods, reading, or looking in store windows.

"Very good," Ziva told them. "All of those things take your attention away from your surroundings. You will not be paying attention to the people and the buildings around you. This can be very dangerous. And, if you are listening to someone on the telephone or an iPod, you will not be able to hear possible danger."

"The fourth rule is 'Walk with a purpose.' You must have confidence. You must walk with attitude. Your walk should tell anyone watching you that you know where you are going and that you are not a weak gazelle." Ziva held out a hand to one of the young girls. "Would you help me demonstrate?"

The girl rose and moved to stand next to Ziva. "What is your name?" Ziva asked.

"I'm Tamara," the student replied.

"Tamara, I noticed when you came in the gym you have the type of walk I am talking about. Please, walk to the side and back."

As Tamara crossed the room and returned, Ziva commented, "Tamara definitely walks with attitude. Look how she moves quickly and with purpose. Her head is up and her shoulders are back. She is confident and not timid. Her walk says, 'I know who I am and where I am going. I dare you to mess with me.' The lions would not think this gazelle is an easy target."

Ziva thanked the young girl. "That brings us to rule five. 'Always keep your cell phone where you can reach it quickly.' How many of you have cell phones?"

Every hand was raised. Ziva addressed one of the girls. "Where do you keep it?"

"In my backpack," the student replied.

Ziva turned to one of the mothers. "Where do you keep your cell phone?"

"In my purse," the older woman answered.

"And, if you had to retrieve that phone quickly, could you? My guess is probably not." Ziva smiled at the ladies. "If your bag is like mine, you would have to dig through layers of junk to find it. That does you no good. You should carry your cell phone on your belt or in your hand. It should be easily accessible in an emergency."

Ziva shot a quick smile at Jethro. "On my team, we have a rule that says we should always carry a knife. Those of you who are students cannot do this. It would be against school policy and against the laws of the city. So, for this class our rule six is 'Always know what you have that can be used as a weapon.'

"For instance," Ziva pulled her key chain out of her front pocket. She placed the keys so that they were sticking out from between her fingers. "Most all of us carry keys. They can be a very effective weapon. I will show you how to use them a little later."

Ziva returned the keys to her pocket and moved to stand in front of one of the mothers in the front row. "Please, give me your hand."

Ziva raised the woman's hand so the other women could see her three inch long, acrylic finger nails. "This gazelle is definitely armed and dangerous. You would be able to do much damage with these."

The other women all laughed as Ziva returned to the front of the class. "Rule seven is very important. 'If you feel threatened, scream.' Make as much noise as you can. This will draw attention to you. Hopefully, this will scare away anyone who tries to harm you. But, it can also bring assistance."

"Rule eight is also very important. 'Never, ever allow someone to get you to come close to their car.' This is a very dangerous situation. You must remember that an adult will never ask a young person for assistance." Ziva stepped closer to Tamara. "What do you do if someone asks you to help look for something he has lost?"

Tamara thought for a few seconds. "I ignore him and keep walking."

"Very good." Ziva looked at a particularly shy looking girl in the back row. "What do you do if someone offers you something like candy?"

The girl looked at her lap and mumbled, "I ignore him."

"And?" Ziva asked.

"I keep walking and I dial 911 on my cell phone." This time the answer was a little more confident.

"That is very good." Ziva smiled at the little girl. "Remember, you must never be afraid to call for assistance if you feel threatened."

"I know many of you young ladies must go home after school to an empty house or apartment. That is why we have rule nine. 'Never go into your home if it something does not feel right.'" Ziva shot another grin at Jethro. "My boss has taught us to trust our gut. That means you must learn to trust your instincts. If the door is open and it should not be, do not go inside. If you see a strange car parked outside, keep walking. If you can see a light on that you know was turned off when you left, keep going. Each of you should know a neighbor you can trust. Or, you should know a location like a police station, a fire station, a store where you can go until you can call a family member. It is best to be safe."

Ziva faced the class. Over their heads, she spared a glance for Tony. He was still leaning against the wall, listening intently to her presentation.

"And, finally, rule ten. This is the most important of all. 'Never hesitate to fight.' You have been smart gazelles. You have followed all of the other rules. You have done everything you can to keep yourself safe. And, still someone tries to hurt you. You fight!" Ziva looked at each of the young girls as she spoke. "You kick. You bite. You scratch. You hit. You inflict as much damage as you can."

"That is the next part of this class. I will teach you how to defend yourself." Ziva looked at Jethro. "For this part, I will need an assistant."

As Jethro rose and moved to stand beside Ziva, she saw the skeptical looks shared by some of the young girls. Ziva tried not to grin. They were in for a shock that would hopefully leave a lasting impression on the students.

"I see you are surprised by my assistant. You see the silver hair and you think this old guy does not look so tough. This is another lesson you must not forget. Never underestimate your opponent." This time Ziva shared a smile with Tony before she continued. "This is my boss, Special Agent Gibbs. He is the most highly decorated agent at NCIS. And, he is a Marine. None of the other agents on our team, including myself, can take him in a fight. You must not be deceived by appearances."

Jethro had borrowed a protective suit from a Marine buddy who also taught self defense classes. As he donned the suit, Ziva picked a volunteer from the audience. She chose the shy young girl from the second row.

When the very small girl joined Ziva at the front of the class, Ziva asked her, "What is your name?"

"I'm Tonya," was the timid response.

"You must be confident, Tonya. Remember, head up, shoulder backs. You are a strong gazelle." Ziva moved Tonya so that she was standing in front of Jethro. He now looked like the Michelin tire man in the heavy suit. "I will show you ways to protect yourself and you will then try them. I want everyone else to pay attention. You will also have the opportunity to practice. And, do not worry. You cannot hurt Agent Gibbs."

First, Ziva demonstrated how to deliver an elbow to the stomach and then had Tonya try it several times. Then, Ziva showed the class how to use a palm strike to the nose. She showed the class how to take down a bigger, stronger opponent with many of the techniques she had learned as part of her Mossad training. Each time, the young girl was able to follow Ziva's precise instructions. By the time Ziva finished the demonstration, Tonya was beating up on Jethro to the cheers of her classmates.

Ziva helped Jethro stand and tried not to laugh. She could tell he was enjoying this as much as she was. It felt good to be able to use their unique skills to give back to the community.

Ziva gave Tonya a brief hug. "You did very well, Tonya. Thank you for helping me."

As Tonya returned to her seat, Ziva addressed the other class members. "I think for this next part, I will need a second assistant. Tony, would you mind helping us?"

The older women and the girls turned and watched as Tony carried his protective suit to the front of the gym. Ziva noticed the apprising looks Tony received from the older members of the class. She had long ago grown accustomed to the female attention that was aimed at Tony. That did not mean she had to like it. Ziva tried to reign in her jealous streak. But, she had to admit she would enjoy watching the women beat on him.

When Tony joined Ziva and Jethro, Ziva turned back to the class. "This is my partner, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Agent DiNozzo is the senior field agent on our team. Again, do not underestimate your opponent. Agent DiNozzo looks like a pretty boy; but, he is tougher than he looks."

The class laughed as Ziva managed to dodge a head slap from Tony. While Tony suited up, Ziva divided the class into two groups. She had one group move to the mats on the left with Tony. The other group she directed to the mats on the right with Jethro.

"Now, everyone will get a chance to practice the techniques Tonya and I demonstrated." Ziva picked the student from each group who would go first. Each young girl and older woman had their chance to pommel Tony and Jethro. Ziva moved between the groups. She offered suggestions and encouragement. She had them repeat the moves over and over. Ziva joined the students as they cheered Liz when their principal took a turn beating on Jethro.

As the second hour of the session drew to a close, Ziva directed the class back to the chairs. An exhausted Tony and an equally tired Jethro stripped off the hot, heavy protective suits. All three agents were pleased with the progress of the women and the girls.

"I want to thank each of you for coming here tonight." Ziva addressed the class. "It is very important that you know how to keep yourself safe and to protect yourself if you are ever in a dangerous situation. I hope you have enjoyed the class. But, I especially hope you have learned something from this time tonight."

When Ziva dismissed the class, all of the older women came forward to thank the agents and to tell Ziva how much they had enjoyed the class. Several of the younger girls approached Ziva and asked how they could become NCIS agents. It was fifteen minutes after the class ended before the last of the participants left the gym.

When the gym was finally cleared, Liz gave Ziva a hug. "You were fantastic, Ziva. You did a magnificent job. This was wonderful."

Ziva couldn't contain her excitement. "I enjoyed the class very much. Thank you for asking me to do this, Liz. Imagine how much more we could cover if we had an intermediate class. And, then with an advanced class, we could begin to teach them more complicated martial arts."

Tony slung an arm around Ziva's shoulders and faced Jethro. "Boss, we better watch out. She's planning to create her own army of little Ninja warriors."

Ziva slapped Tony on the chest as they all laughed. "I was just thinking about the potential for classes like this."

"Well, I hope I can count on you for next Tuesday night. I already have twenty participants signed up," Liz told Ziva.

Ziva cast a concerned look at Jethro. "I hope I can leave work again early. But, what if we have a case?"

"You don't worry about that. For as long as you want to keep doing this, you can leave early on Tuesday nights," Jethro reassured her. "Tony and I might not always be able to come with you. But, I'll make sure you have two people to help out."

"What about Director Vance?" Ziva questioned. "Will he not be angry that one of his agents is unavailable?"

Jethro's grin was positively wicked. "You leave Vance to me. If he gives us too much flack, I'll talk to Jackie. She'll deal with Leon. She'll probably insist that he come help you."

As the men picked up the suits and the group left the gym, Ziva suggested a stop for pizza. She had been too nervous to eat earlier. Now, she discovered she was starving. She also wasn't ready for the evening to end.

It was Tony who answered first. "As long as it's delivery. After that work out, I'm too tired to go out. Boss, that hot tub would really feel good right now."

As Liz locked the gym, Jethro took a good look at his two agents. Tony's arm was still around Ziva's shoulders. Her arm was around his waist and she looked to be the only thing holding Tony upright. Tony had worked overtime on a stake-out for the past two days. He looked dead on his feet. Ziva was still on such an endorphin high, she was almost vibrating.

As Jethro escorted Liz to his car, he tried to hide his smile. "You two follow us. We'll have pizza delivered to my house."

Jethro watched Tony hand Ziva the keys to the Mustang and snorted. Liz and Ziva would stay up late discussing the class. He would end up with Tony crashed on his couch. Jethro laughed as he slid into the Charger. There wouldn't be any action at the David house tonight.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N **_Very short and 100% pure fluff. Just something to tide everyone over until I get the next, longer chapter finished._

**Disclaimer** _Everyone knows I don't own them and I'm still broke._

"Boss, please just shoot me," Tony grumbled.

"I just might, DiNozzo," Jethro growled. "This is your fault."

"I didn't know it would be this bad," Tony continued to whine.

"They're women, Tony." Jethro fought the urge to head-slap his agent. "What did you expect?"

Tony leaned against a marble column. "Just leave me here, Boss. Save yourself."

"I never leave a man behind." Jethro grabbed the lapel of Tony's jacket and pulled the younger man upright. "If I have to suffer, so do you."

Jethro propelled Tony forward. "You're up."

Tony trudged towards the clothing rack where Ziva was waving to him. She was holding what Tony would swear had to be the four hundredth sweater she had looked at. "Tony, do you like this color. I thought the green was nice. But, Liz says it is too drab. Do you think the purple would look better?"

Tony eyed the garment Ziva held up to herself. He personally thought she looked fantastic with nothing on. But, he had enough good sense left to know better than to voice his opinion. Especially not in front of Liz who was standing next to Ziva.

He tried to smile. Really he did. "I like the purple."

"But, you do not love it, yes?" Ziva frowned at him.

"No…I mean yes. I love that color on you." Tony prayed for divine intervention. Would an earthquake or a flood be too much to ask for?

Ziva returned the sweater to the rack. "I do not think I would wear it. It would be too hot for the office."

She and Liz moved to the next rack and Tony staggered back to where Jethro was now leaning against the column.

"Boss, help me out here. Come up with some excuse so we can leave," Tony pleaded.

Jethro narrowed his eyes and stared at the younger man. "I planned to stay home and watch the Buckeyes. But, no. You're the one who said and I quote, 'That sounds like fun,' when Liz offered to come to the mall with Ziva. Now, suck it up, Marine."

Tony decided to pull out the big guns. "But, Dad…"

Jethro cut him off. "Don't 'but dad' me. You got us into this mess. Now, shut the Hell up before I really give you something to whine about."

Jethro looked past Tony and rolled his eyes. "Oh, crap. They're moving to the purse department. We'll never get them out of here now."

Tony fell into step beside Jethro. "Ziva will have to examine every one to see which one will hold the most weapons."

Jethro snorted. "And, if they do find one, then they'll have to pick out shoes to match."

Ahead, the women had their heads together. They were giggling to themselves.

"Do you think we have made them suffer long enough?" Ziva asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

Liz patted her arm. "Oh, no, Dear. Let's give it another thirty minutes. I guarantee, they will never volunteer to come with us again."

Behind them, both men juggled bags and packages and swore, never again.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N **_I'm sorry it's been so long since the last update. Life got in the way of writing. This chapter took a right turn and headed in a direction I hadn't expected. It totally surprised me. I hope everyone enjoys it. _

**Disclaimer**_ Only Liz is mine and I'm not making any money off of this._

As a rumble of thunder rattled the basement windows, Jethro straightened from the redwood plank he had just measured and cut. Liz was upstairs writing a report for the school district. He had decided to work on the lumber for the hot tub. He caught sight of Ziva descending the stairs. She was dressed in shorts and an Ohio State t-shirt that was at least two sizes too big for her petite frame.

"Ziver," he greeted her. "What's up?"

Ziva prowled the basement. She ran an idle hand over the wood balanced across the sawhorses. She moved over and poked around the bits of junk on his workbench. She even picked up his beer and took a drink.

"Nothing," she finally replied as she sat the luke-warm beer back on the workbench.

"Where's DiNozzo?" Jethro knew the warning signs of cabin fever. Several days of rain had kept everyone confined indoors. Torrential downpours had even prevented Ziva from taking her usual morning runs. The forced inactivity had to be driving his Ninja crazy by now.

"Tony is upstairs with Liz. They plan to watch a John Wayne marathon." Ziva fiddled with a screwdriver. Tony had insisted they come next door and see what the older couple was doing on this rainy Sunday afternoon.

"I am bored," she finally admitted.

Jethro took the plank from the sawhorses and added it to pile he had already cut. This wasn't about simple boredom. Lack of activity had Ziva fidgety and on edge.

Jethro moved the sawhorses against the wall and then crossed to the boxes stacked under the stairs. Jethro pulled one box from the stack and carried it to the workbench. He opened the flaps and dug through the contents. He finally turned to face Ziva and held up two pairs of well used boxing gloves.

"Would this help?" Jethro smiled at Ziva's look of astonishment.

"Gibbs, we cannot." Despite her protest, Jethro could see the interest sparkling in those huge brown eyes.

"Why not? We've got plenty of room down here." Jethro tossed her one pair of the gloves and turned to rummage through the box again. This time, when he turned, he was holding headgear for both of them and two mouth guards.

Ziva narrowed her eyes and studied the items critically. "I am not using someone else's mouth guard. Who knows what kinds of germs are crawling on those things."

"Don't be such a girl. They're both mine, Ziver." Jethro pretend to be offended. "But, if it'll make you feel better…" Jethro dumped all of the equipment on the workbench. He dropped the pieces of plastic into a Mason jar and poured in a liberal amount of bourbon.

Ziva laughed and caught the headgear Jethro tossed her direction. "This is insane, Gibbs."

Jethro smiled. "You have a better idea?"

"Well, yes." Her grin was positively wicked. "But, Tony is not so young anymore. He needs a break. That will have to wait until later."

Jethro scowled and held up a hand. "That's more information than I need to know, Ziver."

She giggled and strapped on the headgear. "I am sorry, Dad." She didn't look the least bit contrite.

As the pair in the basement squared off, upstairs Tony and Liz were lounging on Gibbs' ancient sofa. Tony was munching on a bowl of popcorn. He was watching 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'. Liz was dividing her attention between the movie and the report she was typing on her laptop.

At the first sounds of what was obviously a fight in the basement, Liz sat up in shock. "What is going on?"

Tony cocked his head to the side and listened for a few seconds. "Sounds like they're boxing."

"What? Why?" Liz was beyond stunned.

"Why?" Tony tossed more popcorn into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Probably because Zi is bored and getting on Gibbs' nerves. He's the only one who can handle her when she gets in one of her moods. That's why I brought her over here."

"Aren't you worried? Shouldn't we check on them?" Liz was definitely concerned by this unusual turn of events.

Tony returned his focus to the movie. "They'll be fine."

"But…" Liz didn't know what to say. And, she didn't understand how Tony could be so nonchalant about his boss and his girlfriend beating on each other.

Tony put the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and faced Liz. "They aren't like the rest of us."

"I don't understand," Liz told him. "You are an NCIS agent, too."

"Yeah, but, I'm a cop. Those two…" Tony nodded his head in the direction of the door to the basement. "They're soldiers. Gibbs will always be a Marine sniper. Ziva will always be a Ninja assassin. They've seen and done things the rest of us can't even begin to imagine. And, that won't ever go away."

Tony paused and considered how to explain the reality that was life with the two people he loved most in the world. "Loyalty, honor, duty. Those are real fine ideals. Until you have to live with the ghosts. They've both mellowed a lot. But, sometimes, one or both of them get in these moods. You can tell something particularly nasty has resurfaced."

"I heard a Viet Nam vet explain it once," Tony continued. "He said it's like constantly having a monkey on your back. The memories are always there. Most of the time, if you're lucky, you can ignore them. But, you can't ever shake them off. And, you never know when they're going to rear up and bite you in the ass."

Tony took Liz's hand and squeezed it gently. "In case you haven't figured it out yet, we are both in love with people who are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And, that," he nodded again to the basement door, "is one of the ways they deal with it. Usually, they hit the gym at work. They box. Gibbs works out or he works in his basement. Ziva runs every day. I don't know about Gibbs, but Ziva has been seeing a therapist. And, they talk to one another. I think it helps just to know they aren't alone."

Liz took a deep breath. In her well ordered, safe life, she had no experience with something as serious as PTSD. Her first husband had been an accountant! She had naively never considered the ramifications of Jethro's military service.

Liz took a deep breath and looked Tony square in the eyes."How do you handle this? And, what can we do to help?"

Tony smiled. He had to hand it to her. This lady had guts. "You just have to be there for them. If they want to talk, you listen. Give them a shoulder to cry on when they need it. Don't pass judgment. Remember that when they're in a foul mood, it's not about you. Well, sometimes, it is about me. I tend to have that affect on people."

Liz laughed as Tony continued. "You just have to love them. Let them know they're safe with you. Don't walk on eggshells around them. And, don't make a big issue out of it. Neither one of them deal with pity real well. They both get defensive or get all closed off if they think people feel sorry for them. Talk to Ducky. He does a better job of explaining it than I do. He can answer your questions. And, remember, I'm always here if you need to talk."

As Tony heard laughter from the basement, he sat back and picked up his popcorn. "Just treat them the way you always have."

Liz was typing on her report when Jethro and Ziva passed through the kitchen and entered the living room. Jethro had an arm slug over her shoulders and Ziva was holding a rag to her nose. Both of them were sweaty and smiling. Liz studied them over the top of her reading glasses. They definitely looked more relaxed.

"Tony and I are ready to call in an order for dinner. We decided on pizza." Liz told them. "You should have time to clean up before it gets here. And, Jethro, you should put some ice on your eye. You're going to have quite a shiner. Ziva, pinch the bridge of your nose, dear. That should stop the bleeding."

Jethro just laughed and steered Ziva towards the front door. "Go change. You know DiNozzo won't wait if the pizza gets here before you get back."

Tony propped his feet on the coffee table. He watched as Ziva headed out the front door and Gibbs jogged up the stairs. Liz closed the laptop and removed her reading glasses.

"You did good," Tony told Liz. "You handled that like a pro."

Liz patted Tony on the arm. "I just followed your example. Thank you for explaining it to me, Tony. I probably would have freaked if you hadn't been here. I will arrange a time to talk with Ducky, too. Now, I better go order that pizza."

Liz picked up her cell phone and moved to the kitchen to make the call. Tony munched on more popcorn and laughed as John Wayne uttered the phrase, "Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness."

Tony smiled as Liz passed the entry way. Gibbs definitely hadn't picked a weak one this time. Liz was certainly strong enough to handle life with Gibbs and with his very dysfunctional but tightly knit family.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N **_Thank you to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing. All of the kind words are wonderful._

As she heard her back door open and close, Ziva closed her book and slid it onto the end table. She sat up on the sofa as Jethro crossed the dining room and entered her living room. He was carrying a plastic grocery sack.

"Gibbs, I thought you were out with Liz," Ziva greeted her late night visitor.

"Was," Gibbs sat down in his usual club chair and placed the bag on the coffee table. "Took her home. She has an early meeting in the morning."

Gibbs pulled a half pint of Cherries Garcia ice cream from the bag and passed it to Ziva. He retrieved a spoon from his shirt pocket and passed it to her. He dug in the bag and removed his own half pint of Rocky Road.

"I will have to run an extra five miles for this, Gibbs," Ziva protested even as she removed the lid and dug the spoon into the container.

"Put it back, then," Jethro answered as he opened his container.

Ziva smiled as she took the first bite. "I think I would rather do the extra miles."

The pair ate in silence for several minutes. Ziva studied Jethro. A casual observer would think he was relaxed. Ziva could tell he was preoccupied. The ice cream was a stalling tactic.

"Gibbs, I appreciate the ice cream and the visit. But, I get the feeling you have another reason for coming over." Ziva paused and when Jethro didn't respond, she continued. "Is there something bothering you?"

Jethro toyed with his ice cream. Finally, he looked at Ziva and took a deep breath. "I'm thinking about proposing."

"Proposing what?" Ziva frowned in confusion.

Jethro had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "Marriage, Ziver. I'm thinking about asking Liz to marry me."

"Oh." Ziva leaned back on the sofa and studied her own ice cream.

"That's all you have to say?" Jethro questioned her.

"What would you like me to say?" Ziva's tone was quiet.

"That I'm not making a mistake. That she won't turn me down." Jethro stuck his spoon in the container and leaned forward to put it on the coffee table. "That you won't be pissed."

Ziva took another bite before her container joined the other one on the table. "I do not think you would be making a mistake. I like Liz. She is very nice. I think the two of you would be very happy together. And, I do not think she will turn you down. I can tell that she loves you very much."

"But, you'll be pissed," Jethro stated.

Ziva tried to collect her thoughts before she responded. "I would not be angry. I want you to be happy. You deserve that. And, I do not want you to spend the rest of your life alone. I just do not like it when things change. It makes me uncomfortable."

"I know, Ziver. That's why I came to you before I asked her," Jethro admitted. He leaned forward and rested his arms on his legs. "If I marry Liz, nothing will change."

"But, things will be different. You will have a wife who will expect you to spend time with her. I will not feel as though I can just come and go from your house whenever I want." Ziva paused and a look of horror appeared on her face. "You would not move, would you?"

Jethro knew her reaction was a symptom of her deepest fear. "No, Ziva. I won't move." He did move to the sofa and pull the young woman into a hug. "I promise. I won't leave you. And, sometimes change can be a good thing."

Ziva laid her head on his chest. "I am sorry. I am acting like a whiny brat again. I should be happy for you, not worrying about myself. That is not fair to you."

Jethro kissed the top of her head. "I understand why you're worried. Ziva, if I thought this would come between us, I wouldn't even consider getting married again. I think having Liz around would be good for you. You'll have another woman to talk to and to do things with. You really do have a lot in common."

"Like what?" was Ziva's quiet reply.

"Well," Jethro didn't have to think too hard to supply the answers. "Liz runs every morning. You both love to read. When you watch movies, you both pick chick flicks. Liz likes antiques as much as you do. She knows the location of every antique store and flea market in three states. That trip to the mall proved you can both shop like pros."

Jethro paused and then admitted, "Actually, I'm afraid if she moves next door, you'll spend more time with her than I do."

Ziva giggled and hugged him back. "We could write out a schedule. We could decide who gets her which days of the week."

Jethro laughed. "Just don't think you need to send DiNozzo over to keep me company."

Ziva drew back far enough to look at Jethro. "You have already talked to Tony about this, yes? That is why he said he had to go home tonight. He knew you planned to talk to me."

"Yeah." Jethro grinned at the jealousy she couldn't hide. "I talked to him this afternoon. And, before you get in a snit, just remember, Tony was here first."

"I do not get into snits." Despite Jethro's snort, Ziva continued. "I cannot help it if I am passionate about certain things."

Jethro smirked. "Passionate, huh? And, here I just thought you had a temper."

Ziva smacked him on the arm and then retrieved her ice cream from the table. "When do you plan to ask her?"

Jethro grabbed his container, too. "Tomorrow night."

Ziva ate her ice cream and contemplated what to say. She finally faced Jethro. "I am happy for you. I think Liz will be a wonderful addition to the family."

Jethro poked at the melting contents of his container. "She may not say yes."

"Of course she will say yes." Ziva scoffed at his concern.

"Maybe." Jethro continued to toy with his spoon. "Maybe not. I'm not such a great catch, Ziver. I've been married four times. I have a dangerous job. I work insane hours. I have a temper. I can be a real bastard." He shot her a small smile. "I have two bratty kids."

Ziva's loyalty to those she loved demanded she defend him, even from himself. "You have been married four times because the women after Shannon were not the right ones. Your job is dangerous; but, you have Tony and McGee and me to watch your six. Besides, Liz's first husband was an accountant, and he still died. You work long hours mostly because you chose to work them. Perhaps with Liz you would have a reason to cut back on the hours you devote to the job. You already have since you have been dating her. You are not a bastard to those you care about. We all know you only lose your temper with us when you are worried about us."

This time Jethro gave her one of those rare, mega-watt, Gibbs' smiles. "What about the bratty kids?"

Ziva sniffed and stuck her nose in the air. "I happen to think your kids are perfect."

When he finished laughing, Jethro leaned over and kissed her on the side of the head. "You are perfect, Ziver. Tony, I'm not so sure about."

He rose from the sofa and took the ice cream containers to the kitchen trash. When Jethro returned to the living room, Ziva was waiting for him beside the front door.

She gave him a quick but fierce hug. "I really am happy for you. I think you can make it work with Liz." She smiled up at him. "And, I will be here to smack you on the head if you do not treat her right."

Jethro returned the hug. "I'll hold you to that, Ziver."

Ziva watched as he jogged down the front steps and headed in the direction of his house. Despite Jethro's assurances, Ziva knew things would change. But maybe, like he said, that wouldn't be a bad thing. As she shut the front door, Ziva contemplated what it would be like to have another woman around. Other than Abby, she had never had a close female friend. And, she and Abby were so different they didn't really have much in common. It would be nice to have someone to talk to and to go places with. As she went about shutting off lights, Ziva smiled. Perhaps being the only woman in the family wouldn't be so bad.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva pushed the hangers along the rod as she considered and rejected shirt after shirt. They were all too boring or plain. Finally, she found the one she was looking for. This one was perfect.

"Ahaa! This is the one." She snatched the hanger from the rod and turned around. Her expression was triumphant. "Now, where are the ties?"

From where he leaned against the door frame, Jethro looked on in amusement. "Hanging at the end of the closet." He moved across his bedroom and took the cobalt blue shirt she waved in his direction. "What is it with you and this shirt?"

Ziva shot him a look that clearly said he was an idiot. "It looks perfect with your hair and your eyes. All of the women at NCIS think you look hot when you wear it. Have you not noticed how they all make excuses to come by on the days you have it on?"

Jethro looked at the garment and snorted. "I will never understand women."

Ziva patted him on the arm. "It is best you do not try."

She moved back to the closet and rummaged through his ties. Jethro stood in front of the dresser. He held the shirt up and studied his reflection. He shook his head in puzzlement. Jethro knew he would never understand the mysteries of the female mind.

Ziva stood next to him and held up the silver tie. "This is the one. This will look wonderful with your charcoal gray suit."

Jethro couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her. He looked down at the faded jeans and long-sleeved, Carhart t-shirt he was wearing. The work boots were scuffed and worn.

"What's wrong with what I have on?" he asked.

Ziva put her hands on her hips and sputtered in indignation. The both turned at the sound of a chuckle from the doorway. Tony was leaning against the frame.

"He's just jerking your chain, Ziva," Tony told his irritated partner. "Come on, sweet cheeks. Let the man get dressed. He doesn't need you fussing over him like a mother hen."

Ziva shot one last stern look at Jethro. "Remember. The gray suit."

"Yes, Ziver." Jethro nudged her towards the door. "Now, go away or I'll be late."

Ziva and Tony went downstairs. Jethro showered and dressed in record time. He was more nervous than he wanted to admit. Having Ziva hovering hadn't helped his nerves. He was afraid Liz would turn him down. Jethro admitted to himself that he wouldn't blame her if she did.

When he was finally ready, Jethro descended the stairs. Tony and Ziva were waiting in his living room. They rose from the sofa as he picked up his keys from the dining table. Ziva couldn't resist the urge to straighten his tie.

"Are you finished?" He growled. Tony just rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Yes. Do you have the ring?" She asked.

"Yes. And, no, you can't see it." Jethro hadn't shown the ring to anyone. He wanted Liz to be the first to see it.

Tony put his hands on Ziva's shoulders and pulled her back against his chest. "I've got her, Boss. You better make a break for it."

Jethro smiled when Ziva swatted at Tony's hands. She managed to wiggle free from his grip and placed a kiss on Jethro's cheek.

"Good luck, Dad," she whispered.

They followed him to the front door. Jethro had almost made it out the door when Tony stopped him. The younger man gave him a brief hug.

"Good luck, Dad," he also whispered.

"Thanks, you two." Jethro gave them one last smile. "I'll talk to you in the morning."

Ziva called from where she stood in the door, "You could call us later. Let us know what she says."

Jethro laughed as he opened the door to the Charger. "If I show up at your house later with a fifth of bourbon, you'll know she turned me down."

"She will say yes, Gibbs," Ziva yelled as Tony waved and then pushed Ziva back into the house. He shut the door and hugged Ziva. The hug led to several heated kisses.

Finally, Tony broke off the kisses to smile down at very sexy woman in his arms. "Agent David, I have a question for you?"

"Yes, Agent DiNozzo?" she purred.

"Do you realize we're in the wrong house?" he asked with a laugh.

Ziva raised an eyebrow. "We could always go make out in the basement."

Tony laughed and opened the door. As he ushered her onto the porch, he told her, "I'm not that crazy, Zi."

"Where is your sense of adventure, Tony?" she teased him.

They held hands as they walked back to her house. Tony was looking forward to dinner out for a change. He had made reservations at his favorite Italian restaurant. He knew Ziva was nervous about Liz's reaction. Fortunately, Tony knew many pleasant ways to distract her. He smiled to himself. If several of those distractions just happened to involve getting his sexy partner naked, he definitely wouldn't complain.

**A/N I'm sorry. I didn't intend for this to be a cliffhanger. I had planned for the proposal to be part of this chapter; but it isn't finished. Gibbs isn't cooperating. You'll all just have to wait for the next chapter. **


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N** _This chapter took longer to write than I expected. Gibbs wouldn't cooperate. Then I realized it was my fault. I wasn't letting him be himself. I hope everyone likes it._

**Disclaimer**_ Do I really have to do this for every chapter? You all know they're not mine and I'm still not making any money from them._

Jethro held open the door and waited for Liz to enter the restaurant. He placed a hand in the small of her back as he ushered her to the maître' de. As they followed the rather uptight looking young man with a pretentious, French accent, Jethro took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. He would have definitely been more comfortable doing this in his worn out jeans and a t-shirt at his favorite steak house.

Once they were seated and the waiter had taken their drink orders, Jethro sat back and tried to relax. Liz was, in his opinion, absolutely gorgeous. She had worn a simple black dress that hugged all of her curves. She had worn her shoulder length hair lose, the way she knew he liked it. Jethro smiled at something Liz said and hoped he didn't look like he was about to throw up.

Liz leaned forward and placed her hand over Jethro's right hand. "Jethro, is everything all right? You've been quiet ever since you picked me up."

Jethro turned his hand over and clasped hers. "I'm fine. I've just had a lot on my mind."

"Is everything okay at work?" She asked.

"Work is fine," he answered.

Liz waited until the waiter placed their wine glasses on the table. That was unusual enough to tip Liz off to the fact that something was bothering her date. She had seen him drink beer and the occasional shot of bourbon. Leroy Jethro Gibbs did not drink wine.

"Is anything wrong with Ziva or Tony?" Liz was determined to not give up until Jethro told her what was on his mind.

Jethro took a sip of the Chardonnay before he responded. "No, they're fine."

Liz studied his stiff posture and furtive glances around their elegant surroundings. It didn't take a trained profiler or a forensic psychologist to tell he was nervous.

"Jethro, you've given me three 'fines' in less than two minutes." Liz stated. "Please tell me what's bothering you."

Jethro looked at Liz and saw how concerned she was. He could see she was worried about him. He felt a twinge of guilt. He wanted tonight to be perfect and he was messing up big time. Then a thought struck him. Jethro had once told Ziva that Liz loved him for who he was, not for who she thought she could change him into. In trying to make the night perfect, Jethro had tried to change himself. This stuffy French restaurant definitely wasn't him.

Jethro made a decision. He squeezed her hand. "Can we get out of here?"

Liz smiled. "Of course."

He threw a few bills on the table and then led Liz past the shocked maître' de. As they waited for the valet to retrieve the Charger, Jethro had to think fast. He just hoped he hadn't completely screwed up his chances. Then inspiration struck. Liz and Ziva had watched an old movie about a guy who had proposed on top of the Eiffel Tower. By the end of the movie, both women were weepy. He had never seen Ziva act so girlie. His new idea was perfect.

When they were back in the car and on their way, Jethro reached over and took Liz's hand. "I promise I'm not completely nuts. Give me a little time, okay?"

Liz turned in her seat so she could watch Jethro drive. She had no idea what was going through his head. For him, his behavior tonight had been a bit bizarre. Liz squeezed his hand. Ducky had advised she go with the flow when Jethro got into one of his moods. She figured that without more information, that was sound advice in this situation.

Jethro pulled over and parked in the lot closest to the Washington Monument. Tightened security since 9/11 made parking close to the monuments impossible. Jethro opened the door and waited for Liz to slide from the antique sports car. He took her hand and led her towards the visitor center.

"Jethro…" Liz started before Jethro stopped her.

"Give me just a few more minutes. Please?" Jethro asked without slowing down.

Jethro knew getting to the top without tickets would be difficult but not impossible. He released Liz's hand and approached one of park guides. He pulled his badge from his jacket and showed it to the guide.

"Agent Gibbs, NCIS." Jethro nodded towards Liz. "We need to go to the top." Jethro used his most authoritative, lead agent voice.

Even though he had no idea what was going on, the guide was eager to cooperate with a federal agent. "Of course, please come with me."

The young man led Jethro and Liz through the visitor center and to the elevator. Liz followed Jethro and the guide. She tried to look like she had a reason to accompany a federal agent. She just hoped no one thought that reason was because she was a criminal.

Liz stood next to Jethro in the elevator. She refrained from touching him or talking to him. Jethro tried not to smile. He could tell Liz was confused. He just hoped his idea would work.

The elevator reached the top and the couple moved to the observation platform. Jethro reassured the park guide that he didn't need assistance. When they were alone, Jethro took her hand and led her to one of the windows. He hoped she couldn't tell how much his hands were shaking.

Liz looked out at the lights of the city. She had never been up here after dark. The sight was magical.

"It's beautiful," she sighed.

"Yes, it is." Jethro answered. Liz turned and found Jethro was looking at her, not the view. He smiled. "I had a whole speech planned. I had thought this all out. I wanted to impress you with how suave I could be. Then, in the restaurant, I realized I just needed to be myself."

Jethro continued to hold Liz's hand as he bent down on one knee. Liz's other hand flew up to cover her mouth as she realized what was happening. Jethro pulled a small, velvet box from his jacket.

"Elizabeth Dixon, will you marry me?" Jethro asked softly.

Liz was too shocked to speak. She could only blink back tears and nod her head.

"Was that a yes?" Jethro smiled.

When Liz was finally able to whisper, "Yes, Jethro, I will marry you," Jethro removed the ring from the box slipped it on her finger. He rose and pulled her to him for one toe-curling kiss. When the applause of the tourists on the observation platform registered, Jethro broke the kiss and smiled at Liz.

"I think we just became the highlight of the tour." Liz couldn't stop a giggle.

"Can we go eat now?" Jethro asked with a laugh. "I'm starving. I was too nervous to eat today."

Liz slipped an arm around Jethro's waist. "By all means. You'll need your strength later."

They rode down the elevator holding hands. Liz took a better look at her engagement ring. It had a platinum band. One half carat diamond was flanked by two smaller diamonds on each side. Liz knew she was grinning like a loon and she didn't care. She looked up into those twinkling, blue eyes and felt herself melt.

It was no surprise when Jethro drove them to their favorite Chinese restaurant. He parked the car and took a moment to thoroughly kiss his new fiancé. When his stomach growled rather rudely, they broke apart.

Liz laughed. "You weren't kidding were you, Jethro. Come on. Let's get you fed."

The hostess greeted them and showed them to their usual table. The waiter didn't waste time asking what they wanted. He brought Liz her usual hot tea and Jethro a beer. A second waiter brought bowls of hot and sour soup for each of them. Jethro had made it through half his soup before he even slowed down. He looked up to find a smiling Liz watching him. He could feel his cheeks grow hot.

"Sorry. All I've had today is about a gallon of coffee," Jethro apologized.

Liz patted his arm. "That's quite all right, Jethro. But, I wish you would take better care of yourself. I expect to have you around for a long time. I expect to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary."

Jethro smiled. "I can't promise to make it to a hundred, but I'll try."

Liz returned his smile. "I'll hold you to that, Agent Gibbs. I have to know where you got the idea to propose at the top of the Washington Monument."

Jethro felt himself blush again. "DiNozzo must be rubbing off on me. I got the idea from that movie you and Ziva watched. I couldn't take you to the Eiffel Tower. I figured that could be our version of Paris."

"Jethro, that was the most suave, romantic thing anyone has ever done for me." Liz leaned forward and kissed him lightly.

They both sat back as the waiter delivered their usual orders. The owner stopped by to chat and check on her favorite customers. Gibbs had been a regular for years. Ms. Wen had been elated when Jethro started bringing his new lady friend in for dinner. After a few minutes of small talk, Ms. Wen moved on to another couple.

"We don't have to start making plans tonight." Jethro paused and considered his next question. "I just have to know. Would you be okay if we live in my house?"

Liz placed her shop sticks on her plate and took a sip of her tea. "You don't want to leave Ziva," she stated.

Jethro toyed with his noodles. "No. I don't, Liz. I told you about her background. I can't abandon her. And, that's how she would feel if I moved. Tony would be fine. He's my loyal St. Bernard. He'd follow me no matter where I went. But, Ziva would feel like I was leaving her behind."

Liz covered his hand with hers. "I understand how you feel about them, Jethro. I've seen how wonderful you are with both of them. And, I understand how much Ziva needs you. I would never ask you to choose between Ziva and me. I assume you told them you planned to propose tonight."

Jethro laughed. "Oh, yeah. I told them. I'm surprised Ziva hasn't called yet to find out your answer."

Liz pulled her iPhone from her bag. She quickly typed in a message. When Jethro raised an eyebrow and looked at her questioningly, Liz said, "We wouldn't want to keep her in suspense. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind." Jethro shot her that devastatingly, sexy smile. "But, we're going back to your house tonight. She knows how to pick locks. There's no way we would keep them out of my house tonight."

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva laid with her head on Tony's shoulder. She was idly running her fingers through the hair on his chest. Tony was doing the same thing with the long curls that spilled over his arm. The night breeze moved the curtains. Neither one was in any hurry to leave her bedroom. When Ziva's cell phone chirped, she reached across Tony and retrieved it from the nightstand.

"Don't answer it," Tony told her. "It might be work."

"It is a text message." Ziva sat up. "It is from Liz."

Tony sat up beside her and watched as she opened the message. It was three simple words. "I said yes."

"Way to go, Boss," Tony smiled and hugged his partner.

Ziva typed back, "Welcome to the family," and then returned Tony's hug.

"So, you're going to be okay with this, right?" Tony asked her.

"Yes, Tony. I am happy for Gibbs. And, I think Liz and I can become good friends." Ziva put the cell phone back on the nightstand.

"Now that we have that settled, can we get back to our evening?" Tony ran a hand up and down the soft skin on Ziva's back.

"What did you have in mind, Tony?" Ziva purred in that sultry voice that always turned Tony on instantly.

"We could go downstairs and watch television." Tony's grin was wicked.

"I do not think so, Agent DiNozzo." Ziva pushed him back down to the mattress and lay on top of him. "We can think of something more interesting to do with our time."

"Why, Agent David. Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Tony placed light kisses along her shoulder.

"Yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that?" Ziva whispered as she placed kisses just under his jaw.

"Absolutely." Tony quickly flipped them so that he was on top. "I plan to take advantage of you."

"Well, if you must," was the last coherent sentence Ziva managed to speak for a very long time.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N** _Thank you to everyone who continues to read and review. I'm sorry I haven't had time to respond to the reviews from the last chapter. It was either respond or write this chapter. I figured everyone would forgive me for choosing to write. _

**Warning**_ You may want to have tissues handy for this one._

Ziva jogged down the sidewalk and waved to Ms. Gillam. The elderly woman was filling the birdfeeder hanging on her front porch. Ziva breathed the cool fall air and looked at the red and gold leaves that rustled in the soft breeze. She reflected that it was almost time to unpack sweaters and plan how to decorate her house for Halloween. She glanced at Gibbs' house and decided she would have to decorate his house as well as her own. Ziva knew he would let her get away with it if she just happened to buy more decorations than she needed.

When she turned into her drive, Ziva smiled. Jethro was sitting in her porch swing drinking a cup of coffee. She stopped at the front steps to stretch and cool down.

"Good morning, Gibbs," she greeted him as she bent and touched her toes.

"Morning," Jethro said as he watched her contort herself in a painful looking yoga pose. "Wish I was still that limber."

Ziva looked at him from an impossible upside-down angle. "I could teach you yoga."

Jethro snorted. "And, end up in traction? I don't think so."

Ziva straightened and jogged up the steps and sat next to Jethro. He offered her a bottle of water he had waiting for her. Instead, she took his coffee cup and drained it. Ziva laughed when he smacked her lightly on the back of the head.

"Now, I have to go get a refill," Jethro complained.

"Come in. I will make more," Ziva offered. She stood and opened her front door. "I will make breakfast and we can talk."

"You can interrogate me, you mean," Jethro grumbled as he followed her into the house and to the kitchen.

Ziva set about making the coffee before Jethro could get to the machine first. She believed in self preservation. More than a half of a cup of his noxious brew couldn't be good for the lining of one's stomach. While she popped bagels into the toaster and got the cream cheese from the refrigerator, Jethro set the table.

Ziva was placing the bagels on the plates when a half-awake Tony descended the stairs and followed the scent of the coffee into the kitchen. He was dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt. His hair stuck up at all different angles like a deranged porcupine. He kissed Ziva and shuffled to the coffee maker. When he had poured his coffee, Tony turned and nearly choked on the hot liquid.

"Morning, Boss," he sputtered. It was obvious that Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo hadn't noticed his boss sitting at the end of the table, sipping his own coffee.

"DiNozzo," Jethro's greeting was accompanied by a scowl.

Ziva steered Tony to a chair. "Do not harass him, Gibbs. Let him have his coffee and wake up first," Ziva warned.

"Fine," Jethro answered. As he spread cream cheese on a bagel, he paused to point the knife at Tony. "But, you and I are going to have a talk later."

"Yes, Sir." Tony's response was enough to convince Jethro that younger man still wasn't fully awake.

Ziva decided to steer the conversation to a safer topic. She addressed Jethro. "So, where did you take Liz last night? Where did you propose? What did you say? Did she like the ring? When do we get to see it? Have you set a date?"

Jethro slid the bagel he had prepared to a still nonfunctional Tony and picked up another one for himself. "I think she liked the ring. She couldn't stop looking at it. And, no, we haven't set a date."

Even though Jethro had no intentions of answering all of Ziva's nosy questions, she wouldn't let him off that easily. "Where were you when you proposed?"

He swallowed a bite of bagel. "Top of the Washington Monument."

"Why?" Tony blurted.

Jethro narrowed his eyes in warning. "Because, I couldn't take her to the Eiffel Tower."

At Ziva's cry of, "That is so romantic," Tony shook his head in mock horror. "Way to go, Boss. Make it impossible for the rest of us to top that."

When what he had said registered in Tony's brain, he sputtered, "Not…not that I intend to…I mean…"

"DiNozzo?" Jethro growled.

"Yeah, Boss?" Tony hoped his face wasn't a red as it felt.

"Shut up." Jethro instructed.

"Shutting up, Boss." Tony turned his attention to the food in front of him.

Ziva chose to ignore her partner. "I expect for you and Liz to come to dinner tonight. We must celebrate."

"I'll let her know." Jethro drank more of his coffee. He considered what he wanted to say next. "Are you two busy today?"

Ziva looked at Tony who shook his head and shrugged. "No, Gibbs. We have nothing planned. Why?"

Jethro toyed with his coffee cup. "I need your help with something."

"We will be over as soon as we change," Ziva told him.

"Fine." Jethro rose from the table. He put his cup and plate in the sink. He bent and kissed Ziva on top of the head. On his way from the kitchen, he smacked Tony on the back of the head.

Tony yelped in surprise. "What was that for?"

"For hoping I wouldn't know you hid your car in the garage," Jethro called back as he closed the front door behind him.

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva entered Jethro's front door with Tony behind her. They both looked around the empty living room. Ziva started to the kitchen when they heard a noise from upstairs. Tony raised an eyebrow in question and Ziva nodded, indicating he should go upstairs.

Instead of invading Gibbs' private territory uninvited, Tony called out, "Boss?"

When they heard his reply of, "Up here," the couple jogged up the stairs. Tony followed Ziva down the hall. He stopped to take a quick peek into the recently refurnished guest room. Ziva had told him about helping with the paint. He caught up with Ziva who was standing at the door to the back bedroom.

Jethro carried a box from the closet and sat it on top of a stack in the middle of the floor. Ziva looked around the room. Boxes were stacked along the walls. The mattress was stripped of bedding. The room had the look of long disuse.

"Gibbs?" Ziva didn't know how to voice the question she wasn't sure she wanted him to answer. Tony put a hand on her shoulder. He stood silently behind her.

Jethro looked around the room. "None of the exes l lived here. I moved in with them. Guess this time I have to deal with all of this."

"Dad…" Ziva managed to choke out.

"Hush, Ziva. It's past time." Jethro even managed a small smile.

Tony pushed Ziva further into the room. "What do you want us to do?"

"Start carrying boxes down to my truck." Jethro was grateful, for once, for Tony's presence. He knew he could count on Tony to keep the situation from becoming too emotional.

"Sure thing, Boss." Tony picked up a box and handed it to a still shocked Ziva. "Get moving, Agent David."

Ziva held on to the box and looked up at Tony. He saw the tears swimming in her eyes. "Not now, Ziva," he whispered as he turned her to the door.

Tony picked up another box and followed her down the stairs. They crossed the lawn and headed to where the truck was parked in the drive. Tony put his box in the bed and then took the box Ziva had carried and put it next the first.

"Tony, this is my fault. I pushed him to make sure he and Liz lived here." Ziva's eyes were haunted.

Tony tried to cut her off. She ignored him. "This has to be causing him pain and it is because of me. I was selfish. I did not think about how he would feel moving another woman into this house."

Tony cut his eyes to a spot behind her. Ziva's eyes widened in understanding. She watched Jethro carry a box past her. He put it in his truck and then turned to face the distraught young woman.

"Ziver, this isn't your fault. I should have done this a long time ago." Jethro leaned against the side of the truck and stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "At first, I couldn't even think about it. I couldn't let them go. Then it was just easier to ignore it. But, they've been dead for almost twenty years. It's time to move on."

"But…" Ziva started to protest.

"Ziver, it's time," he repeated. "And, I'm okay with asking Liz to live here. I don't want to move. This is home. I'm sure Shannon would be all right with Liz living here. Liz is the first one I can say that about. Liz, you, Tony…we're family. I haven't had that in a long time. Maybe that's why this time is different."

Ziva couldn't contain herself. Jethro wasn't shocked when she hugged him. He couldn't pinpoint the exact time his tough Ninja warrior had become a hugger, but it no longer surprised him. Jethro returned the hug and smiled over her head at Tony who was trying to look inconspicuous.

"Now, can we get on with this?" Jethro asked and pretended to not hear Ziva's sniffles. When she nodded against his chest, Jethro patted her back and then turned her around. "If you're a good girl, I'll even let you drive my truck."

Ziva managed a small laugh. "I would rather drive the Charger."

"No way!" Tony protested. "I'm the oldest. I should get to drive the Charger first."

"You drive like an old lady, Tony." Ziva teased him. "You would not be able to appreciate such a powerful automobile."

"It's a car, Ziva. No one here calls them automobiles. Assimilate already," Tony retorted and then dodged a head slap.

Jethro just shook his head and smiled. He followed the bickering pair up the sidewalk and into his house. He was sure there would be more emotional moments before the day was over. Ziva moved up the stairs. Tony waited for Jethro in the entryway.

"Thanks for asking me to help with this." Tony quietly told him. "It means a lot that you trust me enough for something this important."

Jethro looked at the younger agent who had somehow become his son. "You're welcome, Tony." Then he shot Tony one of those rare, light-hearted smiles. "Didn't figure I had much choice. It didn't look like you were leaving anytime soon."

Tony sputtered and tried to act indignant as he followed Jethro up the stairs. They would get through this together. Tony would make sure of it. Anything for the family he had finally found.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva slid a casserole dish of lasagna into the oven. She still had to shower and dress. Tony was taking the final load of boxes to the Goodwill. He planned to stop by his apartment to shower and change. Jethro had spoken to Liz. He was supposed to bring her here for the celebration dinner.

The three agents had worked steadily through the day. They had managed to clean out the master bedroom and additional boxes from the basement. Ziva had insisted on vacuuming and had even scrubbed the master bath. There had been several emotional moments for all of them. Tony's twisted sense of humor had kept them from reaching emotional overload. There was no way one could become too maudlin with Anthony DiNozzo around.

Ziva set the timer on the oven and put the salad into the refrigerator. She was about to head upstairs when her back door opened. She was surprised to see Jethro slip in and shut the door behind him.

"Gibbs, I thought you had left to pick up Liz." Ziva saw that he had already changed.

"I'm heading out now. I wanted to give you this first." Jethro held out a wooden chest.

Ziva took the surprisingly heavy box. She wasn't shocked to see that it was obviously hand crafted. The wood was different shades of oak. It had aged to deep, mellow tones. She opened the lid and gasped.

Her gaze flew to where Jethro stood watching her. "Gibbs?"

He gave her one of those small smiles. "I made the chest for her for the first Christmas we were married. Most of the jewelry isn't worth much. On a Gunnery Sergeant's pay I couldn't afford anything too expensive."

"But…" Ziva still didn't know what to say.

Jethro tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It would have gone to Kelly someday. That can't happen. I want you to have it."

Ziva closed the box and sat it on the table. She threw her arms around Jethro's neck and hugged him tightly. This, more than any words ever could, told her how much he loved her.

"Thank you, Daddy," she choked out.

Jethro returned the hug. "You're welcome, Ziver."

She finally released him and gave him a shaky smile. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied and it was only a small lie.

"Good. I better go get Liz." Jethro stopped at the back door. "You're a lot like her, you know."

"Kelly?" Ziva questioned.

"Shannon," he responded. "She was willing to leave her home and her family and start a new life. She had the guts to take a chance on a guy who couldn't promise her much other than the fact he would love her forever. She would have loved you."

As the door shut quietly behind him, Ziva picked up the chest and ran a finger over the lid. She carried it to her bedroom and placed it on the dresser. She felt more of a connection to Jethro's past than she did to her own. Maybe that was because Leroy Jethro Gibbs had been the one to teach her what it meant to love unconditionally.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N** _I'm sorry it has taken so long to update. I've had a very rough few weeks. I hope this bit of smutty fluff will make up for the delay._

Jethro put the remaining Chinese take-out in the refrigerator. Liz cleared their trash from his table and carried it to the bin. He had picked her up after work and they had spent a couple of hours in a local home improvement store. They had discussed paint choices for the master bedroom. Jethro still didn't understand why there had to be so many shades of light brown and what determined the 'perfect' tone. Finally, they had agreed on a sample that Jethro secretly thought looked like burned oatmeal. Mercifully, his complaints of hunger had spared him the torture of carpet shopping.

Liz followed Jethro to the living room and joined him on the sofa. She could tell he was exhausted. His team had put in long hours for the past week. They had followed one dead-end after another. Each of the agents had conducted multiple interrogations. Jethro had told her that even the director had used his considerable computer skills to help them follow a possible electronic trail. After six days of nonstop searching, the MCRT had tracked down and rescued the kidnapped daughter of a Marine captain. Tony had been the one who told her that it was Jethro who had shot and killed the kidnapper. The man had threatened to shoot the little girl. Jethro's sniper skills had saved the eight year old's life.

Liz knew the case had taken an emotional as well as physical toll on her fiancé`. Each time they had spoken on the phone, Liz sensed his growing frustration with the lack of leads. With each passing day, Jethro had become more distant. Tonight, she had witnessed the slight limp he hadn't been able to conceal. She had also noticed the lines of pain and exhaustion that radiated from the corners of his eyes.

She sat at the end of the sofa and placed a throw pillow on her lap. Liz patted the pillow.

"Come on, Jethro. Lie down and rest," she told her weary special agent.

Jethro stretched out on the sofa and placed his head in Liz's lap. He propped his sock clad feet on the other sofa arm. With a deep sigh he folded his hands across his stomach and closed his eyes.

Liz ran her fingers through the gorgeous silver hair she loved so much. This past week she had witnessed the toll his job took on him. Liz realized she hadn't been worried about his physical safety. She had been more distressed by the lack of care he took for his own well being. She, Ducky, and Jackie Vance had made sure the MCRT had been supplied with food. But, sleep had been consisted of short naps in the bull-pin or Abby's lab. Jethro and Tony had even grabbed a few hours rest on autopsy tables.

"Jethro?" she questioned quietly.

"Hmmm?" was his only response.

"Where are the kids tonight?" Liz had expected one or both of them to show up at some point.

"Ziva said they were going to dinner." Jethro paused and then snorted. "The kids? Tony isn't that much younger than you."

Liz swatted him lightly on the shoulder. "Don't laugh at me, Jethro. You know what I meant. And, it's not exactly like you're ancient."

Jethro opened his eyes. "Some days, I feel like I'm old enough to be their grandfather."

Liz gave him a seductive smile. "You are far too sexy to be a grandfather, Special Agent Gibbs."

Jethro laughed out loud. "I thought I was the one with the bad eye sight."

"You don't do humble well, Jethro. I happen to think I'm engaged to the hottest guy in Washington." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "You definitely have the best butt."

This time Jethro shook with laughter. "And, here I thought I would be the one to get dementia first."

Liz began to slowly unbutton his shirt. She ran her fingers lightly across his t-shirt covered chest.

"I think you would be more comfortable in bed," Liz told him.

Without opening his eyes, Jethro smiled. "Yeah, but, I get the feeling I'm not going to be sleeping any time soon."

Liz tried to sound shocked. "Why, Agent Gibbs, I wouldn't take advantage of you in your current state of exhaustion."

Jethro finally opened those amazing blue eyes. He sat up and stripped both of his shirts over his head. He tossed the shirts in the direction of one of the chairs. "It's been a long week without you. By all means, take advantage."

As Liz slid down on the sofa, she reflected that it had indeed been a very long week without this incredible man. She reached up to run her hand over Jethro's bare chest and shoulders. The first kiss was hungry and desperate. Kisses and touches were accompanied by gasps and moans. Liz barely slowed her assault as Jethro pulled her sweater over her head and flung it over the coffee table. His distraction gave her time to unbutton and unzip his jeans. He hissed as her hand found and closed around its target.

Liz snorted in surprise. "Commando, Agent Gibbs? I'm shocked."

Jethro made a strangled noise and couldn't stop the involuntary movement of his hips. "Haven't had time to do laundry. Ran out of clean clothes."

The kisses were even more urgent. Jethro had his arms under Liz. He was silently cursing the person who designed hooks. Tremors that ran through his body had shot his manual dexterity all to hell.

Concentrating on each other, neither of them heard the front door open. Jethro faintly heard someone call his name. He became aware that they weren't alone when he heard a horrified yelp. His head shot up and he looked over the arm of the sofa. He was in time to see Ziva spin an opened-mouthed Tony and push him towards the door. When the door closed behind them, Jethro looked down into wide, brown eyes. Liz had her hand over her mouth and was staring up at him in horror.

Jethro dropped his head on her shoulder. When she realized he was shaking with laughter, Liz smacked him on the back of the head. That only made it worse. The tension and anxiety of the past week finally found a release. It was several minutes before he was able to compose himself.

He wiped his eyes on a throw pillow and sat up. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I know you're embarrassed. I didn't mean for that to happen."

Liz sat up next to him. "Jethro, I know it wasn't intentional. But, how will I ever face them?"

Jethro couldn't stop his lips from twitching. "Serves them right. Now they know how it feels when I catch them playing grab ass."

"We were doing considerably more than 'playing grabb ass', Jethro," Liz tried her best to look stern.

"True." He shot her one of those wicked grins. "That definitely wasn't my ass you were playing with."

"Jethro!" Her initial shock gave way to a fit of giggles. "You are very naughty, Agent Gibbs. And, those poor kids are probably scarred for life."

He buttoned his jeans and stood up. He held out a hand. "Maybe they'll learn to knock."

Liz took his hand and stood. "You could lock the door."

"Hey! It's not my fault we didn't make it upstairs." Jethro dodged another smack to his head and pulled her in for a very thorough kiss.

When he finally released her, Jethro was serious. "I am sorry you were embarrassed. I'll talk to them tomorrow." He grinned. "And, I promise to make sure the door is locked before we have sex in the living room."

"You, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, are incorrigible." Liz let him lead her to the stairs. She snickered when he stopped to lock the front door. "What's that old saying about shutting the barn door after the horse it already out?"

Jethro laughed and steered her to the stairs. "I figure one or both of them will feel the need to come back over to apologize. Better safe than sorry."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva slammed her front door and leaned against it. She put her hand over her eyes as if she could shield them from the image that was indelibly seared into her memory. "They were….he was…she was…Oh, my God, Tony! They were! How dare they?" With that final outraged cry, the distraught young woman crossed the living room and plopped down on the sofa.

Tony paced from one side of her living room to the other. "I'll never sit on that couch again."

"He was…she was…" Ziva babbled again unable to put into words what they had witnessed.

"She had her hand…" Tony started.

Ziva cut him off. "Yes, Tony. I know where her hand was. I will thank you not to remind me."

Tony sat next to her. He never thought he would have to be the voice of reason. "Zi, I was as shocked as you were. But, they are consenting adults. They are engaged. And, it is his living room. Besides, they weren't doing anything we haven't done."

Shock was giving way to admiration. Tony knew he had a severe case of hero worship for his adopted dad. Inside he was cheering, 'Way to go, Boss.' Self preservation kept his mouth shut. He knew Ziva wouldn't appreciate the sentiment.

"I know they are engaged, Tony." Ziva spoke to him as if he were not too bright. "I know they are consenting adults. But, I did not want to see them actually consenting."

"I told you to knock," Tony felt compelled to point out the fact that their uninvited entry was not his fault.

"Yes, Tony. Thank you for reminding me." Ziva rose and Tony watched her stalk to the stairs. "I am going to bed."

"Am I spending the night?" Tony felt it best to ask.

"If you wish to sleep here, you may," Ziva called back as she continued up the stairs.

Tony locked the door and turned out the lights. He took a few seconds to contemplate the silence from upstairs and Ziva's rather frosty reply. As he trudged up the stairs, he felt a twinge of jealousy. It looked like Gibbs would be the only one getting lucky tonight.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N **_I apologize to all of the people who have continued to follow this story. This chapter has been a long time coming. It felt like I had written myself into a corner with that last chapter and this one wouldn't cooperate. (I understand how Ducky feels when the corpses don't have anything to say to him.) After deleting everything and starting over three times, I finally decided to post this meager offering. Hopefully, we can get past this and move on to better stuff._

Tony rolled over and managed to open one eye. He watched Ziva tuck a long sleeved shirt into a pair of worn cargo pants. She had pulled her hair back in a ponytail that definitely wasn't up to her usual pristine standards. She bent to slip on a pair of battered sneaker.

"You going somewhere?" he asked after a jaw-popping yawn.

"Yes." Ziva straightened from tying her shoes. "I am going next door."

Tony opened the other eye. "Why?"

"To apologize, Tony. I owe them both an apology." Ziva picked her keys up from the dresser and slipped them into her pocket.

"Don't forget to knock." Tony rolled over and settled back into his pillow. He yelped when a hand connected with the back of his head. By the time he sat up, Ziva was closing the bedroom door behind her.

Ziva crossed her front lawn and hopped over the short wooden fence that separated the yards. She trudged up Jethro's front steps and crossed the porch. She put her hand on the doorknob and then withdrew it. She stared at the front door and hesitated. Finally, she reached out and knocked. As she waited, not so patiently, she couldn't help but reflect on how unnatural this felt. She had just turned to leave when the door opened.

"Ziva," Liz was standing inside the door. "Come on in."

Liz moved aside to allow Ziva to enter the house. She noticed immediately that the younger woman was uncomfortable. Ziva had her hands in her pockets and had stopped just inside the door. Liz shut the door and headed to the kitchen.

"I just steeped a pot of tea. Please come join me for a cup." Liz said as she moved past the younger woman. Ziva hesitated and then followed her.

Ziva sat at the table and waited while Liz retrieved another cup and spoon from the kitchen. Ziva had tossed and turned all night. At first, she had been angry. Finally, sometime around dawn, she had forced herself to think about the previous night's events from Liz's point of view. The _'incident,'_ as the young agent had come to think of it, had not been Liz's fault. Ziva had forced herself to admit, the blame could be laid squarely at her own feet.

Liz handed Ziva her cup and then sat opposite Jethro's adopted daughter. Sleep for Liz had also been elusive. She understood the close relationship shared by her fiancé and his agents. What they had witnessed last night had surely been embarrassing and traumatic for both of the younger people. Despite Jethro's attempts to downplay the seriousness of the incident, Liz knew Ziva had to be horrified and upset.

"Liz, I owe you an apology. I am very sorry. I should not have just walked in last night. Tony warned me that I should knock, but I did not listen to him." Ziva jumped right in with the reason for her visit.

Liz knew she couldn't allow Ziva to take all of the blame on herself. "Ziva, I owe you an apology, too. I didn't think you and Tony would be coming over last night. Jethro said you had gone to dinner and I knew how exhausted all of you were."

Ziva played with her cup. "We did not know you were here. We would not have interrupted had we known. I insisted we check on Gibbs." She finally looked at Liz. "I know how much cases involving children upset him. I did not think he should be alone."

"I understand. I didn't think he should be alone either." Liz placed a hand over Ziva's. "I am so glad Jethro has you and Tony in his life. He's told me how much he loves both of you. Ziva, I don't want you to feel like you can't come over whenever you want. I know you and Tony both see this as your home, too. I don't want that to change."

Ziva hoped her smile looked more convincing than it felt. "I appreciate that. However, I think some things will have to change. Obviously, we will no longer be able to barge in whenever we want."

Liz hoped her face wasn't as red as it felt. "Ziva, you have my word that you and Tony will not be shocked again. I had a discussion with Jethro about how parents should be discreet with certain…_activities_." She paused and smiled shyly. "However, I would hope that if you happen to find the front door locked, you won't be offended and that you won't pick the lock."

Ziva snorted the drink of tea she had just taken. After she had wiped her shirt with her napkin, Ziva tried, quite unsuccessfully, to look stern. "Just do not forget to lock the door."

"I promise." Liz squeezed Ziva's hand. "Are we okay?"

"I know I can act like a spoiled brat sometimes. But, we are all adults. I understand how easily one can become…carried away. If you will forgive me, then we are okay." Ziva felt they were all incredibly blessed that Jethro had found this wonderful, understanding woman.

"Ziva, there's nothing to forgive. It was an unfortunate accident." Liz was happy that the event hadn't damaged her relationship with the younger woman she was beginning to think of as a daughter.

Before Ziva could say anything else, the women heard Jethro coming down the stairs. Ziva covered her face with her hand. "I am so not ready for this," she mumbled.

Jethro ambled into the room. He kissed Liz and then dropped a kiss on top of Ziva's lowered head. "Morning, Ziver."

When he continued on his way to the kitchen, Ziva looked at Liz. "I suppose I should apologize to him, also."

Liz nodded. "That might be a good idea. I'll just sit here and read the paper."

Ziva took her cup to the kitchen and stopped just inside the entry-way. Jethro was pouring a cup of coffee. He was dressed in sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. His hair was still damp from the shower. Experience had taught her that Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not a morning person. Ziva gave a brief thought to postponing this conversation. She gave herself a swift, mental kick. Putting this off would not make it any easier.

"Gibbs?" Ziva wasn't surprised when he only grunted as a response. No, he was definitely not a morning person. She watched as he took a first, long drink of coffee. It was almost possible to see the caffeine make its way through his system.

"Dad, can we talk?" Ziva tried again.

This time, Jethro focused on his obviously uncomfortable, unofficially adopted daughter. He didn't want to have this conversation any more than she did. He had to give her credit. She was brave enough to broach the subject he had hoped to avoid.

Jethro leaned against the counter. "Sure," was his reluctant answer.

Ziva took a deep breath. "I am sorry."

Jethro took another drink of coffee before he responded. "For what?"

Ziva fought to keep her impatience from showing. She had known he would not make this easy. "I am sorry for last night. I should not have just walked in without knocking."

"Why not?" Jethro refilled his coffee cup.

"Because it was incredibly rude and presumptuous of me. This is your home. I should respect your privacy." Ziva sat her cup on the counter and slid her hands into her pockets.

Jethro leaned back against the counter. "Ziver have you ever had to knock on my door?"

Ziva narrowed her eyes in confusion. "No, I have not. But…"

Jethro cut her off. "Why should you have expected last night to be any different?"

"Because…I…you were…" Unable to think of a logical response, Ziva just stared at him.

"All the lights were still on so I was obviously still up. It's not like you had any reason to think you were going to catch us making out on the couch." He smiled when Ziva blushed and sputtered a protest. "Ziver, don't beat yourself up over this. It was an accident."

"I was afraid you would be angry." Ziva was still struggling with feelings of guilt.

"I'm not angry, Ziver. I should have known you two would show up here." Jethro took another drink of coffee and looked marginally more awake. He held out an arm to the side and said, "Come here."

Jethro smiled at the speed Ziva crossed the kitchen and hugged him. He returned the hug without spilling his coffee. He winked at Liz as she entered the kitchen.

"Ziva would you like something for breakfast?" Liz asked her.

Ziva kept an arm around Jethro's waist as she turned to face Liz. "No, thank you. I think I will go home and go back to bed." She smiled up at Jethro. "I did not sleep so well last night."

Jethro placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Tell DiNozzo I plan to work on the hot tub this afternoon. I could use his help."

Ziva raised an eyebrow and snorted. "You trust Tony to assist you with plumbing?"

"No." Jethro pushed her gently towards the door. "I trust him to fetch and carry and hand me the tools I ask for."

Liz gave Ziva a quick hug. "Go get some sleep, Dear. I plan to make a run to the market. I'll fix a late lunch for all of us."

Ziva surprised herself by returning the hug. "Thank you, Liz. You have taken such good care of all of us this week." She lowered her voice and whispered, "And, thank you for taking such good care of Gibbs."

"It's my pleasure, Ziva." Liz was stunned by how intensely she had come to care for this special young woman. "Now, go. You need to sleep."

Ziva returned home in a much better mood than when she had made the trip next door. Despite Liz's assurances to the contrary, Ziva knew her relationship with Jethro and Liz had shifted. She would now have to respect the fact that Jethro was no longer alone. He was now part of a couple. And, Ziva found she really liked feeling that she was gaining another family member.

When Ziva slid into the bed, Tony rolled over and wrapped his arms around her. "How did it go?"

"It went fine." Ziva laid her head on his chest and snuggled closer. "Gibbs said he needs your help this afternoon with the hot tub. Liz plans to feed us later."

Tony fought the pull of sleep long enough to respond. "We're definitely keeping her."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N** _This is a short piece of fluff that accidently has a couple of serious moments. I hope everyone enjoys it._

Tony slid his roller through the paint in the tray. He straightened and rolled a swath across the sheetrock wall. He stepped back and eyed the result. He cocked his head to the side and took another backwards step.

"Boss?" Tony continued to stare at the wall.

"Hmmm?" was the distracted reply from the top of a near-by ladder.

"Are you sure this is the right color?" Tony squinted at the tint. It didn't change.

"Yeah, why?" Gibbs asked from where he was painting the crown molding.

"It looks like…" Tony paused unsure if he was about to offend the older agent.

"I know." Jethro leaned out from the wall and looked at Tony's efforts. "At first I thought burned oatmeal. Now, I'm thinking watered-down baby crap."

"Did you pick this out?" Tony looked up at where Jethro was standing on the ladder.

Jethro just narrowed those blue eyes and gave Tony The Stare.

"Then why, Boss?" Tony looked back at the wall and shook his head. "Out of all the thousands of possible choices, why let her pick this one."

Tony was shocked when the sound of his boss's laugh echoed through the empty bedroom. Jethro climbed down the ladder and joined the younger man in front of the wall. He clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"DiNozzo, you got a lot to learn about women if you think I let Liz do anything. You got to learn to pick your battles. You have to decide when to hold on to the high-ground and when it's safer to retreat. There are some things, like keeping my basement, I'm willing to fight for. Things like this," he waved the other hand at the wall, "aren't important. Sometimes it's just easier to say, 'Yes, Dear,' and go along with their plans."

"I don't know what's scarier, Boss," Tony looked to his mentor, "the fact that you just compared marriage to a strategic military campaign or the fact that I understand."

"You got yourself a strong willed, confident woman, DiNozzo." Jethro raised an eyebrow. "You think you're gonna win every battle?"

"Lord no, Boss." Tony snorted. "Most days I just hope to make it off the battlefield in one piece."

Jethro laughed at that then he gave Tony a searching look. "You plan to marry her, Tony?"

The younger man felt the heat creep up his neck and across his face. He looked down at the sneaker he was suddenly scuffing across the hardwood floor.

"I, um, well, I…" Tony realized he sounded a lot like McGee.

The hand left his shoulder. "It's a simple question, DiNozzo."

Tony looked back up and met Jethro's eyes. "I know, Boss. But, the answer isn't that simple. I want to marry her. I'm just not sure I know how to be married. It's not like I had a real great role model growing up. She's my best friend. I don't want to screw that up."

"Then don't," was Jethro's succinct reply.

"This from the person who has three ex-wives." Tony cringed at the narrowed eyes. "Sorry, Boss."

"I screwed up because I married the wrong people for the wrong reasons," Jethro admitted. "Do you love her?"

Tony looked him squarely in the eyes and admitted, "More than I thought possible."

"Then you'll know when the time's right." Jethro moved back to the ladder as he heard the sound of his front door opening. "Right now, Liz better find you putting _that_ on the walls."

Both men were hard at work when the women giggled their way up the stairs and down the hall. Liz entered the bedroom first. She stopped to survey the wall as Ziva moved past her and sat down a shopping bag.

"Oh dear," Liz studied the paint Tony had spread on the wall. "That color is dreadful. Ziva what do you think?"

Ziva moved next to Liz. Her gaze was pulled to the sight of how Tony's jeans pulled tight across his butt as he bent to put more paint on the roller. Liz nudged an elbow into her ribs.

"The paint, Ziva," Liz said with a smile.

Ziva hoped she wasn't blushing as she turned her attention to the fresh paint. "It is, well, it is…"

Liz smiled. "Go ahead. I want your opinion."

"It is hideous." Tony and Jethro snorted as Ziva turned, wide-eyed, to Liz. "I am sorry. That did not come out right."

"No. You're right. It is hideous." Liz shook her head. "Tony, dear, you can stop. I think we're back to square one with the paint."

Tony dropped the roller into the tray. "Thank God."

Liz put her hands on her hips. "You didn't like it either?"

Tony had the decency to look sheepish as she shook his head. Liz turned to where her fiancé was standing on a ladder, meticulously painting trim. He had yet to make eye contact.

"Jethro?" Liz still had her hands on her hips as she looked up at him.

"Yeah?" He continued to paint.

"Just how badly to you hate this color?" Liz narrowed her eyes.

"On a scale of one to ten?" Jethro finally looked down to where Liz stood. "A fifteen."

Liz threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "And, you didn't think it was important to tell me that before we bought it?"

Tony picked up the paint tray. "I think I'll just go clean this out."

Ziva moved quickly around Liz. "I will go help him."

The younger couple beat a hasty exit. They headed downstairs and out the back door. Tony put the tray on the grass and turned to Ziva.

"Well, that was awkward," he quipped.

"She was right. He should have told her he hated that color." Ziva uncoiled the water hose.

"He thought she liked it. He didn't want to hurt her feelings." Tony defended Gibbs in a display of male solidarity.

"It will be his bedroom, too. She wants his input." Ziva turned the water on and aimed the nozzle at the tray.

Tony quickly moved out of the way. "Maybe it wasn't that important to him."

"It is important to her. She is trying to make this a home for the two of them. He must learn to share with her." Ziva hosed out the paint tray.

"So, it would be okay for me to tell you I hate that old-people wall paper in your master bath?" Tony shut off the water.

"You are not moving in with me." Ziva dumped the water out of the tray and moved it to a bench to dry.

"I haven't slept at my apartments in weeks. Most of my stuff is at your house. I'm not even sure why I still have an apartment." Tony sat down on one of the benches.

"Tony…" Ziva didn't know what to say.

"I know, Zi. You aren't ready to let me in all the way. That's okay. I can be patient." Tony smiled at her. "I still hate that wall paper. Just thought I would share that."

Ziva sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then perhaps we should go shopping for new wallpaper."

They were kissing when the back door opened.

"Hey! We're going to Home Depot and then out to dinner. You two want to tag along?" Jethro called from the door.

Ziva unwound herself from Tony and the couple stood. "We would love to." Ziva responded as they passed through the door.

Tony stopped just inside of the doorway and leaned closer to Jethro. "So, Boss, can you teach me how to hang wallpaper?"


End file.
